Brian Hazzard, owner of Absolute Comfort, says air conditioning theft and damage is happening more frequently in the area. “We went 10 years without it ever happening,” Hazzard told CTV News. “It’s been way more common. Sometimes it’s just simple vandalism, like three feet of copper. It’s ridiculous.” Some are able to swipe a complete residential unit very quickly. “With the power disconnected in 10 minutes,” Mark Bondy of Enercare-Syles estimated. Theft is happening at home and at work. Since Aug. 1, Windsor Police have received nine reports of theft or damage to air conditioning units and materials. Three of those reports are connected to commercial properties. One instance saw copper being stripped off a commercial air conditioning unit that ultimately cost between $35,000 to $38,000 to replace. The number of calls received by Absolute Comfort almost matches that of Windsor Police. “We’ve had seven different occurrences just this summer where it could be they’ve stolen the entire unit; they’ve stolen copper out of the unit,” Hazzard said. He points out people have stolen the copper that sits exposed outside between the unit and building/home. What is the return for those stealing? “Three feet of copper. What are you going to make? $3, $4?” Hazzard wondered. That excludes the danger a person put themselves in for the small reward. “You cut into that with a cutter or saw or anything, that refrigerant is just blasting you in the face. You’re going to get frostbite. You’re going to get all sorts of burns from it,” Hazzard said. Police do not track air conditioning unit thefts as a distinct category and can’t say if the recent uptick is an emerging trend. One unit was stolen on Randolph Street last week and the owner is worried about a second one that cools the duplex. “The only thing you have to do is to be able to deter it as much as you can,” Bondy said. The install supervisors feel the strongest option is a lock on the power disconnect. “I think the lock is your best idea, and you got to be pretty knowledgeable to be able to steal it live.” A cage similar is also a deterrent. “Ultimately, nothing will stop a determined individual,” Hazzard noted. “You just make it less convenient.”
