As the price of scrap metal rises, it is happening one after another to steal fire-fighting parts made of brass from apartment fire hydrants.
According to the fire department, all 20 fire hydrants in an apartment in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, have recently disappeared.
The pipe window is a part that connects to the fire hose to easily spray water. Without the pipe window, it is impossible to spray water on the exact fire point.
It is mainly made of brass.
As copper and brass are traded 7 to 8 times more expensive than general scrap, such crimes seem to be happening frequently.
Earlier, in Gwangju last month, 60 people were arrested for stealing 490 fire hose windows from eight apartment complexes and selling them to junk dealers.
There are also opinions that brass tube windows should be replaced with reinforced plastics.
The fire department said, 'More attention should be paid to the management of fire hydrants' in response to the successive theft accidents.