LAWRENCE — Was it a cool hand or someone wanting some hot change? The Lawrence Journal-World reported that Lawrence police are looking for help from the public in finding the thief who has been cutting down and making off with at least five downtown parking meters. Police told the paper that the thief apparently uses a pipe cutter to saw off parking meter posts about midway up the post, a couple of feet from the ground. Only one of the stolen parking meters was recovered in rural Douglas County, but it’s unknown what happened to the rest. Although there have been meter thefts before, police say the thieves have used keys to empty the meters. But these thefts are more expensive because it costs the city $800 each to buy and replace the meters.
Monday, July 8, noon
