Buildings in New Orleans' French Quarters and Central Business District have fallen victim to copper theft that pose a threat to firefighter and occupant safety.
The New Orleans Fire Department was made aware of the thefts are occupants and passersby noticed the sections of the fire department connections were missing.
"The FDC caps and fittings are traditionally made of brass and are being stolen and presumably sold for scrap," the fire department said in a statement. They called it an "epidemic of thefts" involving various buildings in the city's popular French Quarter tourist district.
Among the buildings hit by these thefts were high rises.
The department is encouraging building management to inspect their buildings connections and report it to the fire department.
