A man and woman were arrested Wednesday night around 9:40 pm after they were seen taking caps off of fire hydrants.
Recently, there has been an increase in the theft of fire hydrant caps this is a serious concern for fire personnel. Captain Hendrickson from the Burbank Fire Department said, “The caps are used to protect the threads of the hydrant and prevent debris from clogging the water delivery system. If the threads become damaged we would be unable to connect to the hydrant and this would delay the fire truck. If debris is placed in the hydrant it can become lodged in the hoses or the fire engine’s pump causing damage to the equipment and delaying the fire operations.”
Wednesday, officers were dispatched to the 3000 block of N. Naomi St., regarding a theft of fire hydrant caps in progress. The BPD communications center provided officers with a description of a suspect and vehicle reportedly involved in previous thefts earlier in the week. Units responded to the scene as well as the suspect vehicle’s registered address, in the 2700 block of Thornton Ave.
Two individuals were detained in the driveway, after exiting the suspect vehicle. Both individuals were placed under citizen’s arrest, when a witness identified them as the individuals involved in the theft that occurred. After a search of both individuals, an additional charge for narcotics violations was also added.
Police arrested Luis Castaneda, 39, of Burbank for theft and receiving stolen property and Angelina Munoz, 50, of Sun Valley for petty theft and possession of a dangerous drug. Bail for Castaneda was set at $20,000. Bail for Munoz was set at $10,000.
