Black market water meter concerns after thieves target Redland, Logan

A surge in water meter thefts in Redland and Logan, including three stolen from Cleveland in one night, has prompted police warnings on the dangers of black market sales.

This Cleveland street was targeted by water meter thieves.

A surge of water meter thefts in the Redland and Logan regions is being investigated after three were stolen from commercial properties at night this month, forcing police to issue a warning about the potential dangers.

The thefts occurred on June 11 when commercial water meters were taken from Queen, Channel and Middle streets in Cleveland, leaving one commercial business without water.

This year, 37 water meters have been stolen in Redland and 43 in Logan.

Police believed the brass components would be sold on the black market.

They issued a warning to thieves that they risked injury or electrocution.

The area in Cleveland where water meters have been targeted this month. Picture: Google

A tightening of laws and hefty fines last year has failed to stop the sneaky thieves from ripping apart the meters to steal brass and copper.

No residential properties were affected in the latest raids but police said all three thefts were within metres of residential homes and units.

“The theft of water meters creates a significant inconvenience to those who are impacted, causing victims to go without water for hours at a time,” police said.

“These offences are mainly occurring at night at residential unit complexes and business and commercial properties.”

Police said many of the water and electricity meter thefts were at night. Picture: Contributed: Moreton Bay council

The Redland thefts were part of a recent spike since January and followed a public campaign in July last year to crack down on theft of copper wiring across the southeast.

Last year, Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery successfully urged the government to amend the Second-Hand Dealers and Pawnbrokers Act to patrol the sale of copper wire to pawnbrokers.

The law changes prohibit thieves from taking stolen copper and brass to pawnbrokers without proof of identity.

It also hit pawnbrokers with fines of up to $30,960 for failing to keep adequate registers of sales and details of people selling the copper or brass components.

Until the law was tightened, thieves could take brass and copper to a legal pawnbroker, receive a cash payment and walk away with no records taken.

Both Redland and Logan councils have reported thefts of both water and electricity meters since January.

Councils in southeast Queensland are putting water meters and power boxes inside cages to stop them being stolen. Picture: Logan council

Water meter theft is considered stealing under section 398 of the Criminal Code with repercussions ranging from monetary fines, restitution and jail.

The recent water meter thefts followed a surge in copper wire theft from electricity boxes across the southeast.

In 2021, Moreton police received more than eight reports of thefts of copper, mainly at construction sites and along the rail corridor at Kippa-Ring, Kallangur and Mango Hill.

Construction sites at Elimbah, Narangba and Burpengary East were targeted, along with a sporting field at Dakabin.

Logan residents were also subjected to blackouts after copper thefts with Triple Cee Shopping Centre, on Kingston Rd, at Logan Central stripped of its copper wiring five times in 2021.