Six businesses in a Torrance strip mall, including a Korean American-owned store, have been hit by water pipe thefts.
“When I came to work in the morning to prepare for opening, I thought it was strange because the water pressure was too weak,” said Jae Chun Shim, a manager at Toyosushi, a Japanese restaurant in the mall, speaking to the Korea Daily on November 22. “When I checked the water pipes behind the building, I found that all three pipes had been cut and were gone.”
Shim’s photos show the metal water pipes cleanly severed, presumably by a machine. These valves, which regulate tap water pressure into buildings, can cost between $950 and $1,100 to replace.
Shim said that six neighboring businesses, including Toyo Sushi, suffered similarly. “We were supposed to open at 11 a.m., but had to delay because there was no water,” he explained. “We connected a temporary pipe in a rush, but the weak water pressure hindered proper dishwashing.”
The damage extended to the restrooms being temporarily closed and the dishwasher becoming unusable. However, Shim’s main concern is for the immediate future.
“I’ve contacted a contractor, but their arrival time is uncertain,” he said. “With the Thanksgiving holiday and a busy weekend approaching, I’m worried about how this will affect my business.”
Recently, there’s been an uptick in thefts of copper, iron, and wire, sold to scrap metal dealers in Los Angeles. The California Department of Transportation reported 550 thefts involving freeway light fixtures and equipment in L.A. County in the first half of this year.
In response, the Los Angeles City Council has voted to step up enforcement against copper theft. The council is collaborating with the city attorney’s office to tackle copper wire theft and illegal sales citywide.
BY YEJIN KIM, JUNHAN PARK [kim.yejin3@koreadaily.com]
