Copper Thieves Hitting Air Conditioners

Chicago - Copper brings a pretty penny -- many times over -- to scrappers selling it to recyclers.

Unfortunately, most of the copper they present isn't from an old plumbing project, but from air conditioners attached to occupied homes and businesses.

The problem has grown enough that Gary police formed a task force, hoping to catch thieves in the act.

"This year so far, our crime analysis statistics show 45 air conditioners have been stolen just from businesses. They are not limited to one part of the city, it's pretty much scattered all over," Cmdr. Thomas Decanter Jr. said Tuesday.

As part of the task force effort, detectives assigned to investigate the thefts have been spending part of their workday conducting surveillance, watching areas they believe could be targeted by scrappers.

Decanter said investigators are out at a variety of hours, using undercover cars, as they try to anticipate the next move of the scrap metal thieves.

"Obviously, we're not announcing when we're out or where we will be, but we're expecting the additional eyes and ears will deter some of the crime," Decanter said.

Police arrested a man July 16 who had loaded more than 4,800 pounds of metal onto his truck, which stalled on railroad tracks at N. Clark Road as he tried to leave the scene.

Charges are pending in that case as investigators pursue additional leads regarding other suspects involved in the theft.

"Since 2003, the price of copper has quadrupled," Decanter said.

Scrappers selling small amounts, less than 100 pounds, aren't required to show identification when they trade the metal for cash, police said.

And although air conditioning units will have serial numbers on them, the copper tubing -- which is all the thieves really want -- isn't usually marked.

"These units can cost $20,000 to replace, and the scrappers are getting about $6,000 worth of copper," Lt. Thomas Ruzga said.

Some thieves will remove the entire air conditioner from the building and take it to a nearby vacant lot to dismantle it and cut up the copper into small pieces, Ruzga said.

"We've found it's not just pickup trucks we should be looking for. They put it in the trunks of cars," he said.

Several area churches have been the victim of scrap thieves, and NIPSCO has reported numerous thefts in recent months.

"It's really a nationwide problem," Decanter said.

Decanter said some cities in Indiana have developed ordinances that demand strict regulation of the sale and recycling of precious metals. He is reviewing some of the laws and working with city officials to develop one here.

Without the ability to trace the source of the copper, police have little evidence to pursue criminal charges.

"Unless you're right there when they bring it in, it's impossible to track down where it came from. The recyclers take it and crunch it right away," Capt. Thomas Papadakis said.

Some property owners have installed alarms on their air conditioners to alert police if the unit is disturbed.

"But everything I've read suggests that a fence is the most effective deterrent," Decanter said. "They look at that maybe think it's too much trouble."

Police said residents and businesses alike can take some steps to avoid being a victim of scrap thieves.

"Install a light over the unit, put up a fence and trim back any trees or bushes where a thief could hide," Ruzga said.

Where the units are installed on the roof, owners should move large garbage bins or other structures that would make it easy for thieves to climb, Ruzga added.

Residents who see thieves in action should try to provide police with details about the car or truck used, including license plate numbers and direction of travel, police said.

"The police department is taking steps to address this problem, and with help from the community, we can deter these thefts," Decanter said.