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As reported in the Vancouver Sun today, police are concerned that metal thieves have been stealing key fire suppression equipment from the outer walls of highrise buildings, creating a potentially deadly safety hazard.

More than 60 standpipe connections have been stolen recently, which are the Y-shaped brass or metal connections used to feed water into a building and up to upper floors during a fire.

Without them, police say firefighters are hindered in their ability to properly suppress a highrise blaze, which puts property and lives at risk.

The older brass connections and newer cast aluminum versions weigh about seven kilograms and would only fetch about $15 dollars at a scrapyard, while the costs to building owners to replace them can mount up to thousands of dollars.

Building owners and managers are urged to be vigilant and to report any missing standpipe connections to police.

Replacing missing standpipe connections should be done as quickly as possible to protect the building and its occupants in the event of a fire.

Anyone with information about the standpipe thefts is asked to contact police at 604-717-0610 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Read the complete article in the Vancouver Sun.