RENON, Wash. -- Metal thieves in Renton are stealing aluminum water meter covers leaving large holes in the sidewalk.

Diane Osness, a mail carrier, thought she knew every single step of one Renton neighborhood until she fell into one of the holes.

“There was a deep hole, and down I went, and did the mail go flying? Oh yeah…all over the street…and bloody legs. It was the beginning of my route too,” Osness said.

Metal thieves have stolen so many covers off water meters some sidewalks are dangerous foot traps.

Wayne Tofthagen caught a man stealing the meter cover next to his house. “I said look at this guy, he just stole that water meter because I saw him throwing something over his shoulder as he was sitting in the cab of his truck," Tofthagen said.

One neighbor installed a security camera in hopes of catching the thieves.