Stealing the Covers? Manhole Covers That Is

2 Feb 2012

Columbia is well known for its succulent coffee. Just ask Juan Valdez. But apparently, this South American country is also known for something else: its manhole covers.

Manhole cover thefts isn’t just limited to Columbia either. India, China, and our own windy city (i.e. Chicago) has seen its share of vanishing manhole covers. In fact, it’s become so common that there’s a Wikipedia page about it.

So what’s in it for the manhole cover thief? If you guessed cash, you’re right. Manhole covers can be resold for a high price for scrap, then passed off to other cities who use them for all sorts of things, like sewer systems.

Bogota, Columbia has seen a shocking 10,000 manhole covers go missing each year, reports the Los Angeles Times.  And when Gildardo Pineda, who’s manufacturing company is a major supplier of one of the city’s sewage systems, manhole covers became a target of theft himself, he decided to do something about it.

Pineda became aware that his inventory of manhole covers were shrinking at his factory about three years ago. Pineda couldn’t figure out where his 120 pound manhole covers were going. To solve the mystery of his vanishing manhole covers, this savvy manufacturer used GPS tracking, combined with the help of a private investigator, to solve his mystery.

He randomly placed GPS tracking chips on a few manhole covers out of every 100 he manufactured. In short order, three stolen covers were traced to Neiva, Columbia. When Pineda hired private investigator and former national police intelligence officer, Jorge Izkierdo, he learned that hundreds of his stolen manhole covers ended up there.

Besides the expense to municipalities (and eventually taxpayers) to replace manhole cover, open drains are dangerous to pedestrians and residents because of the potential threat of injury to those who might fall into an open manhole.

We like how Pineda used GPS tracking for a solution to his vanishing manhole covers. If you’ve had anything stolen – give us a call, we have GPS tracking systems that can help you too.

Feb. 2012


1 Response to Stealing the Covers? Manhole Covers That Is

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Manhole Covers

September 20th, 2014 at 5:49 am

10,000 manhole covers stolen every year? Wow!
I Think if composite manhole covers are used the ratio will drastically reduce every year. Usually composite covers don’t contain any metal hence theft chances are decreased.

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