Burglars Want Your Air Conditioner, Not Your Jewels

A couple hoping to purchase a foreclosed home were curious when they noticed that the air conditioning compressors of many of the vacant homes they inspected had been gutted. Their real estate agent said there was a simple explanation.

With the price of copper skyrocketing, burglars now don't need to break inside. They are simply ripping out copper wiring and plumbing, taking an average of thousands of dollars worth of the valuable metal with every raid.

A vacant, foreclosed property is especially vulnerable since thieves know no one is around to catch them in the act.

Even your home could be vulnerable

The problem is not limited to vacant homes. Even occupied homes can provide a tempting target, under certain circumstances. Burglars know that stealing the outside air conditioning unit is less risky than actually entering the home.

One home security firm, SimpliSafe, is marketing a motion activated home surveillance system that is says can protect air conditioning units. The alarm comes with a built-in micro cell phone, programmed to call the police as soon as it is activated.

A University of Indianapolis study found that on average the value of stolen metal was $4,314.  Copper theft is such big business that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that metal theft costs U.S. businesses around $1 billion a year. 

Not just air conditioners

And the theft is not just confined to air conditioners. DOE says thieves also steal pipes, wires, cables, gutters, and flashing. Roof-top air units are favorite targets, because they have copper coils and are usually not visible from the ground.

In addition to replacing the expensive plumping and wiring, owners of vacant properties must pay for repair costs to torn walls if they hope to retain the sale value of their homes-values that have been buffeted by the housing crisis.  Houses left unrepaired face unfavorable sale conditions, as banks are unable to grant conventional mortgage loans for such properties. 

Copper theft has become such a big problem that now there is even a Washington, DC lobby to fight it. The Coalition Against Copper Theft (CACT) is made up of dozens of other associations, including the Air Conditioning Contractors of America and the American Public Power Association.

At least twenty-six states have attempted to address metal theft by passing laws that enforce stricter penalties for stealing copper as well as tightening the record keeping requirements of scrap yards. The CACT is pushing for a similar law at the national level.

Homeowners have resorted to placing specially made iron bar cages over their air conditioning units, but that only slows down a well-equipped thief. Since you can't move the unit indoors, a homeowner's best protection is to make sure the area is visible during the day and well lit at night.