Stealing Air Conditioners

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  • JohnnytheSkin
    All Star
    • Jul 2003
    • 5914

    #1

    Stealing Air Conditioners

    My neighbor, in a reasonably upscale part of southern Illinois (we live in a small house, but the surrounding homes are enormous) just had their outside AC unit stolen...clean off the concrete base! All that's left is some foam insulation and the electrical line.

    I'm now at a loss, since I assumed (rightfully so) that an outside air conditioner was as far from a thief target as can be. I'm doubly worried since we have the identical unit on our house!

    Has anyone heard about this? Is there anything I can do (short of building a fence around my AC )? And if would there be an electrical/fire hazard if say the unit does get stolen and it goes to turn on.

    I'm a near insomniac now, which I know may seem a bit ridiculous, but I NEVER thought an AC would be a target. I hasn't even been above 80 degrees yet!
    I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. - Douglas Adams

    Oh, sorry...I got distracted by the internet. - Scott Pilgrim
  • countryboy
    Growing pains
    • Sep 2003
    • 52832

    #2
    Re: Stealing Air Conditioners

    Originally posted by JohnnytheSkin
    My neighbor, in a reasonably upscale part of southern Illinois (we live in a small house, but the surrounding homes are enormous) just had their outside AC unit stolen...clean off the concrete base! All that's left is some foam insulation and the electrical line.

    I'm now at a loss, since I assumed (rightfully so) that an outside air conditioner was as far from a thief target as can be. I'm doubly worried since we have the identical unit on our house!

    Has anyone heard about this? Is there anything I can do (short of building a fence around my AC )? And if would there be an electrical/fire hazard if say the unit does get stolen and it goes to turn on.

    I'm a near insomniac now, which I know may seem a bit ridiculous, but I NEVER thought an AC would be a target. I hasn't even been above 80 degrees yet!
    My thoughts would be that its an act of vandalism.
    I can't shave with my eyes closed, meaning each day I have to look at myself in the mirror and respect who I see.

    I miss the old days of Operation Sports :(


    Louisville Cardinals/St.Louis Cardinals

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    • dieselboy
      --------------
      • Dec 2002
      • 18040

      #3
      Re: Stealing Air Conditioners

      Get a dog.

      Comment

      • JohnnytheSkin
        All Star
        • Jul 2003
        • 5914

        #4
        Re: Stealing Air Conditioners

        We don't have an external fence, and the neighbors are an elderly couple.

        I'm just stunned!
        I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. - Douglas Adams

        Oh, sorry...I got distracted by the internet. - Scott Pilgrim

        Comment

        • Double Eights
          Banned
          • Nov 2005
          • 5733

          #5
          Re: Stealing Air Conditioners

          Put landmines all around the AC unit. That way if anyone tries to come in contact with it, good bye.

          You might want to consider putting a security camera facing the AC unit. That way you might get lucky and catch a face.

          Comment

          • Brandwin
            Hall Of Fame
            • Jul 2002
            • 30621

            #6
            Re: Stealing Air Conditioners

            WOW that is nuts. I would never think someone would still an AC unit.

            Put an electric fence around it.

            Comment

            • ExtremeGamer
              Extra Life 11/3/18
              • Jul 2002
              • 35299

              #7
              Re: Stealing Air Conditioners

              Stealing an A/C unit?! LMAO!!! that's hysterical.

              There's nothing you can really do, if it happens it happens. You have insurance, I hope, so who cares?

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              • JohnnytheSkin
                All Star
                • Jul 2003
                • 5914

                #8
                Re: Stealing Air Conditioners

                Yeah we have insurance.

                I just found some links talking about copper prices being on the rise and now it's near 100% salvageable, but come on, even a large commercial unit only has enough copper (at a dollar or so a pound) to only net a thief $200! I mean is it small time drug users? That's not even enough for a game console!

                Bunch a savages...
                I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. - Douglas Adams

                Oh, sorry...I got distracted by the internet. - Scott Pilgrim

                Comment

                • ExtremeGamer
                  Extra Life 11/3/18
                  • Jul 2002
                  • 35299

                  #9
                  Re: Stealing Air Conditioners

                  Originally posted by JohnnytheSkin
                  Yeah we have insurance.

                  I just found some links talking about copper prices being on the rise and now it's near 100% salvageable, but come on, even a large commercial unit only has enough copper (at a dollar or so a pound) to only net a thief $200! I mean is it small time drug users? That's not even enough for a game console!

                  Bunch a savages...
                  Bunch of savages in this town...

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                  • DaveDQ
                    13
                    • Sep 2003
                    • 7664

                    #10
                    Re: Stealing Air Conditioners

                    My AC and Heating is one unit, and the heating is gas. So, if someone tried to steel it, they'd have to break the gas line. That'd be pretty insane.

                    You could put one of those "If you value your life more than this air conditioning unit, don't **** with it" stickers on it.

                    Wait..you could also put one of those fake rocks over it...
                    Being kind, one to another, never disappoints.

                    Comment

                    • ExtremeGamer
                      Extra Life 11/3/18
                      • Jul 2002
                      • 35299

                      #11
                      Re: Stealing Air Conditioners

                      Originally posted by dQbell
                      My AC and Heating is one unit, and the heating is gas. So, if someone tried to steel it, they'd have to break the gas line. That'd be pretty insane.

                      You could put one of those "If you value your life more than this air conditioning unit, don't **** with it" stickers on it.

                      Wait..you could also put one of those fake rocks over it...
                      Your heating unit is outside? I've never seen that before, maybe because I live in snow/cold weather area.

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                      • DaveDQ
                        13
                        • Sep 2003
                        • 7664

                        #12
                        Re: Stealing Air Conditioners

                        Originally posted by ExtremeGamer
                        Your heating unit is outside? I've never seen that before, maybe because I live in snow/cold weather area.
                        Yes, it's outside. Most heat pumps in the South are. I'm thinking it has more to do with climate.
                        Being kind, one to another, never disappoints.

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                        • Graphik
                          Pr*s*n*r#70460649
                          • Oct 2002
                          • 10582

                          #13
                          Re: Stealing Air Conditioners

                          I've heard of this before. ACs are completely salvagable and can get poor little crackheads a fix for a few days. Not sure how much they can get.
                          http://neverfollow.biz (Independent Music Group)

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                          • pfunk880
                            MVP
                            • Jul 2004
                            • 4452

                            #14
                            Re: Stealing Air Conditioners

                            You need a trapdoor in front of it that goes down into a dungeon.
                            Green Bay Packers | Milwaukee Brewers | Bradley Braves | Wisconsin Badgers
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                            • JohnnytheSkin
                              All Star
                              • Jul 2003
                              • 5914

                              #15
                              Re: Stealing Air Conditioners

                              Originally posted by ExtremeGamer
                              Bunch of savages in this town...
                              Didn't want to use the whole line since it's a nationwide epidemic
                              I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be. - Douglas Adams

                              Oh, sorry...I got distracted by the internet. - Scott Pilgrim

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