PORTLAND, Ore. -- City employees said that some Portland neighborhoods have open water meters that create holes that people could step in and seriously injure themselves after thieves stole the covers.

Meter readers said some of the metals lids were missing from front yards along Northeast Alberta and Southeast Hawthorne streets, and they suggest residents take a look to see if their lids are missing.

A Portland Water Bureau representative said he doesn't know if the missing lids represent the work of metal thieves, but their absence creates several problems.

The lids cover the meter, which measures the flow of water from the main buried beneath the street into the pipe leading into your house.

Water bureau workers periodically lift them up to check usage.

But some lids have already been 'lifted', by metal thieves, pranksters, or some really strong squirrels.

"This is the metal part that ends up being stolen, and it weighs six or eight pounds. And what it does is cover and protect the water meter. If this were to disappear, you can obviously see where you've created a tripping hazard, and it would be a homeowner's liability and certainly a liability for the Water Bureau as well," Portland Water Bureau worker Eric Fullan said.

The Portland Water Bureau recommends that Portland residents take a walk out toward the curb, and see if the lid on their meter is where it is supposed to be.

Stolen Water Meter Covers Create Hazards