NORTH PORT, Fla. — North Port Police arrest two men last week for stealing water from a fire hydrant.
An officer says they saw two men tampering with a hydrant near Trionfo Avenue and Bullard Street.
They discovered David Lopez Zamada and Yuri Rivero Peraza were not authorized to access any fire hydrant, nor did they possess the proper valving or tools.
Officers also spoke with a Frontier Communications employee who said that the two suspects were employees of MasTec and had been subcontracted to help prepare underground communication lines.
Police say the two were able to pump approximately 200 gallons prior to being stopped.
This caused minor damage to the hydrant. It also impacted the water quality of nearby homes.
Zamada and Peraza were arrested for interfering with firefighter equipment (Felony) and theft of utilities.
They were taken to Sarasota County Jail, and both were later released on a $2,000 bond.
