An uncovered manhole left exposed on a street in Erbil, a safety risk officials say is often caused by the theft of metal covers for resale in scrap markets. Photo by 964media.
Drain grate thefts surge again in Erbil, officials say
ERBIL — Erbil’s Environment Directorate says theft of street drain grates is increasing again across the city, with the heavy metal covers later resold in illegal scrap markets.
Zardasht Sarsam, director of Erbil Environment, told 964media that most incidents occur “when people are away from their homes,” often on main roads or in quieter areas where thieves can remove the grate quickly. “People inform us when these incidents happen,” he said.
Sarsam said the stolen pieces are sold almost immediately on the black market. “What we have tracked shows they are resold in illegal markets because drain grates have high material value,” he said. He noted that a complete street inlet frame and its grate weigh around 130 kilograms, while the grate alone — the piece most often taken — weighs about 70 kilograms and “is sold by the kilo.”
Erbil has more than 140,000 street drains installed across the governorate. Sarsam said the directorate does not have enough personnel to conduct a full count of missing grates, and that most cases come through resident reports rather than systematic inspections.
The open drain inlets present hazards for drivers and pedestrians, especially at night, when the missing grates leave deep, unmarked holes along the curb line.
On Aug. 9, Asayish in Erbil announced the arrest of a suspect accused of stealing street drain grates from multiple neighborhoods. The suspect was detained on charges linked to several thefts, including removing covers from public streets.