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| As the weather gets hotter, instances of air conditioning theft are on an upswing across the country.
According to a June 3 KSPR News report, these thieves don’t snatch air conditioning units to stay cool — they’re more concerned with what’s inside the units, namely the valuable copper wires and other scrap metals that keep air conditioners running. Within minutes, thieves can strip valuable scrap metal from an air conditioner, leaving homeowners with a major financial loss — and without a way to stay cool. “Generally, they can break one of these units down in about a minute,” Det. Stephanie Bellamah with Cincinnati Police, District Two, told Cincinnati.com. “Most of these crimes are driven by people trying to get money for drugs.” The U.S. heating and cooling industry — a $71 billion economic force — places yards and yards of copper wire within each air conditioning unit. In fact, all this copper is often worth more than the actual worth of the air conditioner itself. To safeguard your own air conditioning system from a theft this summer, you can purchase an air conditioning cage which will literally bar thieves from getting their hands on your air conditioner. While these cages range from $600 to $800, they’re much cheaper than the cost of replacing an entire air conditioner, which can set you back thousands of dollars. There are a number of other ways to prevent air conditioning theft, such as purchasing an air conditioner alarm or even landscaping to conceal the air conditioner itself. While these thefts may be on an upward trajectory, it’s easier than ever to make sure your investment stays safe and keeps you and your family cool throughout the summer. |