The Next Crime Wave in Farm Country: Stealing Water

[monkeyofstick]

Source: KQED Science

Madera County sits smack in the middle of the state, and it’s mostly farms. As in many parts of the Valley, wells have gone dry here and water prices have soared. Thieves, who’ve been increasingly targeting rural farms, are starting to understand that anything water-related is a potential bonanza.

“They’re taking the water hoses, taking the copper wiring,” says the county’s District Attorney, David Linn. “We’ve even had instances where they’ve come in and stolen the water pumps from the farmers.”

Linn has recently launched a new task force so rural residents and farmers can reach a deputy district attorney 24-7 to report crime, including illegal well drilling.

Read more: http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2015/04/09/the-next-crime-wave-in-farm-country-stealing-water/

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[link:http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2015/04/09/the-next-crime-wave-in-farm-country-stealing-water/|

You think they would stop bottling it...

[LeftyMom]

1. Hoses wiring and pumps are metal theft. Tweakers steal to buy meth.

That's been a problem in the valley for decades.

[Fearless]

4. That is true

And if it's anything like heroin here in the northeast... it's getting very bad.

[LeftyMom]

5. The meth thing peaked here a long time ago.

I actually had a conversation recently with somebody about seeing a really worn out tweaker, about how you really don't see people who look that bad anymore. I think they died, mostly.

[Fearless]

6. That's depressing

Poverty does such horrible things to people.

Unfortunately here, heroin has just begun.

[Maynar]

2. The Water Wars

It begins...

[Klong]

8. Kevin Costner called it

just sayin

[annm4peace]

3. stealing water, water crimes have been going on for decades

it will get worse but it has been happening for a long time.

[valerief]

7. Stop bottling it? And hurt the PLASTICS industry? Never!!! nt

[monkeyofstick]

9. I think that the greed of...

These folks would love to steal all of it...


[link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Bottled_water_brands|



And let California die

[thecrow]

10. The pump don't work

'cause the vandals took the handle!!!

Wow, I never thought I'd get to actually say that.