By Shavonne Potts
Salisbury Post
Fire officials are warning commercial business owners to pay more attention to the outside of their establishments.
Thieves are targeting the brass connectors that help firefighters by allowing them to attach hoses to the building’s sprinkler system.
Many people probably have seen these attachments on the side or back of a building that has a sign above labeled “FDC” for Fire Department Connection.
Salisbury City Fire Marshal Terry Smith said he believes thieves are stealing the brass and going to a salvage yard to trade the connection in for cash, just as they would try with stolen copper.
The estimated value is anywhere from $150 to $300.
“It depends on the weight,” he said.
Smith has never heard of thieves stealing this type of equipment.
Officials noticed the first missing connection Thursday and since then six others have been reported stolen. They are: Food Lion at Faith Road and Food Lion at Jake Alexander Boulevard, Cracker Barrel, Kimbrells Home Furnishings at Statesville Boulevard, the old Winn-Dixie building on Lincolnton Road (which is still vacant) and Vision Works on Faith Road.
“We tell business owners to keep an eye on it. And we let other departments know that it’s occurring,” Smith said.
There is a potential danger if there is a fire at one of these businesses and there is no way to connect the water supply. Smith said it’s up to the business owners to replace the connectors.