Riverhead police seek suspects who opened 3 Wading River fire hydrants

Riverhead police are searching for suspects who apparently tampered with three fire hydrants in Wading River, leaving gushing water, flooded roads and clogged storm drains in their wake.

Three incidents were reported between Thursday and Saturday morning, according to a department press release. Volunteers from the Wading River Fire Department responded to close the hydrants, each time discovering valves open and water flowing out into the street or woods, according to chief Mark Donnelly who believes they were opened “maliciously.”

“This is very odd and certainly it’s something that could be very dangerous in town if there was an emergency,” Donnelly said.

Riverhead police first responded to an open fire hydrant at Hulse Avenue and 10th Street at 6:09 a.m. Thursday, reporting flooding that rendered the roadway “impassable” in the area. A town highway department crew also responded to clear blocked storm drains caused by the rushing water, officials said.

Then Friday night, police were called to Sylvan Drive to another report of an open hydrant. In that incident, police found a “makeshift fire hose” attached to the hydrant and placed in woods nearby at 10:54 p.m., according to police.

A third open hydrant was discovered at 3:47 a.m. Saturday, this time on Bayberry Road. Police reported flooding on the roadway, storm drains and yards of nearby homes. Officials said flooding overwhelmed the cesspool of one house, damaging the interior.

Donnelly said the hydrants were not extensively damaged and declined to speculate on a potential motive, but reiterated that it’s out of the ordinary.

It’s unclear what penalties the vandals could face. Under Riverhead Town code, it’s illegal for anyone to open or draw water from a fire hydrant unless they are a member of a fire department or obtain a town permit.

An investigation by Riverhead police detectives is ongoing and authorities urge residents to report suspicious people and vehicles near fire hydrants to police.

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact the Riverhead Police Department at 631-727-4500.