With copper prices rising in recent years, a single water meter is believed to fetch roughly ¥1,800 ($11.50) to ¥2,000 when resold. | GETTY IMAGES

The theft of water meters used to measure household water consumption is spreading across Japan, with authorities suspecting many are being stolen for resale because they contain copper, whose price has climbed sharply in recent years.

Local governments are urging residents and scrap metal dealers to stay alert, but officials say effective countermeasures remain elusive, particularly because many thefts target vacant apartments in public housing complexes and other multiunit buildings.

In Shizuoka Prefecture, 449 water meters were reported stolen in March and April from municipal housing complexes and other properties across seven cities, including Shizuoka and Fujieda.…