Thieves Hit My Physical Therapists

[Bird]

This is the start of the second week of a 3 day a week 6 week physical therapy session the doctor ordered for a shoulder problem I have. And when the therapists opened at 8 a.m. this morning, they discovered that sometime over the 3 day holiday weekend someone stole all the outside components of their air-conditioning system.

I don't have any idea what kind of money theives can get for that, but I sure wish an officer had caught them in the act.

The therapist manager went to Walmart, right down the street, and got 7 fans. He also got a red plastic tub to set in front of each fan, and two 10# bags of ice to put in each tub. With a forecast high today of 101 and already over 90, I don't know how well that'll work, but have to give the young man credit for trying.

 

[dave1949]

Swiping AC units in Texas ought to be a hanging offense!
Dave.

 

[JDgreen227]

This is the start of the second week of a 3 day a week 6 week physical therapy session the doctor ordered for a shoulder problem I have. And when the therapists opened at 8 a.m. this morning, they discovered that sometime over the 3 day holiday weekend someone stole all the outside components of their air-conditioning system.

I don't have any idea what kind of money theives can get for that, but I sure wish an officer had caught them in the act.

The therapist manager went to Walmart, right down the street, and got 7 fans. He also got a red plastic tub to set in front of each fan, and two 10# bags of ice to put in each tub. With a forecast high today of 101 and already over 90, I don't know how well that'll work, but have to give the young man credit for trying.

I am sorry to learn of the crime, Bird. There was an instance in south Lansing, Michigan, recently at a medical/dental clinic that serves low-income residents and according to the story, their air conditioning units were vandalized to about $24 worth of copper tubing, and the cost to repair the damage was 100 times that much.

The story went on to say "why would anybody do such a senseless act to a clinic that helps the poor and operates on a shoestring budget?'

Yes, very senseless.

 

[Egon]

That is worse than stealing a Horse!

 

[JDgreen227]

Bird, my initial response was based on memory, but I reread the story online and it stated: "$16 worth of copper from four air conditioning units, repair cost $2287, clinic is responsible for a $1000 deductible, their insurance will pay the rest".

 

[Western]

Bird, that hit them right where it counts!. That stuff has gone on around here way to much.

Channel 8 news showed a small church that has been hit 3 times (A/C), now they can't afford a new unit since each time it's $1000 deductible. Sorry fellas, but if they get electrocuted stealing this stuff, I say "good riddance".

They have to sell this stuff somewhere, this is where I think the law should start looking at the yards that buy this stuff.

Like "Receiving stolen property"

 

[Car Doc]

That's a fairly common commercial item around here to get nabbed is A/C condensers and a-coils and wiring they sell them for scrap copper is high priced. I have seen on tv where they go on construction sites and new housing projects and steal them there too. They are even stealing the copper grounding wire/rods on telephone and power poles thats real bright. ( I have a 230gr chunk of copper/lead to donate)

 

[Bird]

They have to sell this stuff somewhere, this is where I think the law should start looking at the yards that buy this stuff.

I think most police departments are doing that, Dennis, but I don't know how much success they've had.

My therapists are leasing an office in a larger building with at least a half dozen medical related businesses, so it's the building owner rather than the therapists who will be out the expense. Each rental unit has its own A/C and only the one for the therapists' office was taken, perhaps because it's probably the only one that cannot be seen from the street.

 

[jinman]

I think most police departments are doing that, Dennis, but I don't know how much success they've had.

My therapists are leasing an office in a larger building with at least a half dozen medical related businesses, so it's the building owner rather than the therapists who will be out the expense. Each rental unit has its own A/C and only the one for the therapists' office was taken, perhaps because it's probably the only one that cannot be seen from the street.

Of course I have no way of knowing the details, but some commercial leases specify that the tenant is responsible for installed equipment. It may not be the landlords responsibility like a residential rental. Even so, it is a shame that so much damage is done by thieves who do much more dollar damage than they gain. I'm always surprised to see soft drink machines outdoors. Heck, these thieves might knock over one of those for the aluminum in the cans.

 

[jonyyuma]

Stealing AC componants is real serious here...Now The seller is supposed to leave a thumb print. But the theft continues.

 

[Bird]

some commercial leases specify that the tenant is responsible for installed equipment.

Jim, I asked the boss in the therapists' office who his A/C company was and he said, "I don't know; the building owner's working on that now." So I assumed (without actually knowing) that the building owner would be the one paying for it.

 

[JDgreen227]

Of course I have no way of knowing the details, but some commercial leases specify that the tenant is responsible for installed equipment. It may not be the landlords responsibility like a residential rental. Even so, it is a shame that so much damage is done by thieves who do much more dollar damage than they gain. I'm always surprised to see soft drink machines outdoors. Heck, these thieves might knock over one of those for the aluminum in the cans.

Or, for states like Michigan, with the 10 cent deposit on cans, the deposit value far exceeds to scrap value of the aluminum.

About the police catching metal stealing crooks, I am proud that I know a detective in my township who investigated the thefts of a large amount of copper from cell phone towers and personally arrested the crooks who were selling the metal at a scrap yard. The laws here mandate that scrap yards keep records and report on possible theft, but few do that.

I applaud the honest businesses who try to support the authorities.

 

[Western]

Or, for states like Michigan, with the 10 cent deposit on cans, the deposit value far exceeds to scrap value of the aluminum.

About the police catching metal stealing crooks, I am proud that I know a detective in my township who investigated the thefts of a large amount of copper from cell phone towers and personally arrested the crooks who were selling the metal at a scrap yard. The laws here mandate that scrap yards keep records and report on possible theft, but few do that.

I applaud the honest businesses who try to support the authorities.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[jimmyj]

Sorry to hear about this. Honest folks trying to make a living and darned crook skumbags as part of our day to day landscape.

I hope they catch them.

 

[MarkV]

That is a very prevalent problem here in rural Georgia. The churches are getting hit hard and as you would expect the repossessed houses. There is a law being proposed that would require a thumb print and photo when selling to a scrap dealer. Rather sad that we have reached this point.

MarkV

 

[Birdhunter1]

A few weeks ago a guy was telling me that one of his rental houses was cleaned out of all the wiring in the basement while the tenant was asleep upstairs.

The last haul I took to the scrapyard was the leftovers after building my house and shop. It was mainly sheetmetal scrap from metal roofs, some wire scrap that I had burnt the insulation off and a bit of ground wire that was leftover. However I had like 90' of #00 copper ground wire that I stripped off of two 100' poles the power company left behind on my farm after having to replace them after a big storm two years ago. The guy working ask where I got that (as it is a bit odd for a homeowner to have something like that) and you should have seen the look on his face when I told him 'off a power pole.'
I did tell him that they were left on my place after a storm for my use (yes I negotiated with the line crew to leave them for use in the shop I built), then I asked 'bet ya didn't expect that answer did ya?'

Even though I had to leave my contact information anyway he said anyone brave enough to actually say it came off a pole is probably innocent anyway.

 

[Uncle Doug]

There are some real bright thieves out there. This guy was caught on camera stripping a local power distrubtion substation. To make matters worse it was during a record cold spell down here on the gulf coast. It did not take long for someone to rat him out for the reward. Bet it was one of his crack buddies.

 

[Taylortractornut]

Its bad here to any metal is a target. I have a friendthat came in from a Iraq and his 12000 dollar planter and a Lime fertilizer truck stolen and the pipe gate to his place was even stolen. We loaded up and went to a few yards we know and the nearest big one the owner didnt want us back there looking. He drove around the office and this place is set up nice. THey grinad all the light stuff like cars and planters and combines.

WE found the top of the planter with a serial number, and the Cab of the lime truck. THey had alreay mashed the bed. The truck and planter looked knew. THey take IDs but the ladies in the office cant see everything that comes in nor care. After the law was calledthe owners agreed to pay for/ replace the 2 items. Dad church was also copper robbed.

The thing is that theres little sub scrap yards that are reputable folks that buy scrap from others. I know 2 folks that are really well liked in the community that take scrap from known thieves The give half what other dealers pay. They drive the same distance to them as they would a legit recycler.

What gets me is several times ive called the law about the rent house neighbors hatcheting the power pole round wires . Call the sheriffs dept and they wont show for an hour.

 

[kenmac]

Saw on the news today,There were about 10 stolen from a school about 25 miles from me over the long weekend. Copper prices are good. Even for #2 copper.

 

[300UGUY]

Its bad here to any metal is a target. I have a friendthat came in from a Iraq and his 12000 dollar planter and a Lime fertilizer truck stolen and the pipe gate to his place was even stolen. We loaded up and went to a few yards we know and the nearest big one the owner didnt want us back there looking. He drove around the office and this place is set up nice. THey grinad all the light stuff like cars and planters and combines.

WE found the top of the planter with a serial number, and the Cab of the lime truck. THey had alreay mashed the bed. The truck and planter looked knew. THey take IDs but the ladies in the office cant see everything that comes in nor care. After the law was calledthe owners agreed to pay for/ replace the 2 items. Dad church was also copper robbed.

The thing is that theres little sub scrap yards that are reputable folks that buy scrap from others. I know 2 folks that are really well liked in the community that take scrap from known thieves The give half what other dealers pay. They drive the same distance to them as they would a legit recycler.

What gets me is several times ive called the law about the rent house neighbors hatcheting the power pole round wires . Call the sheriffs dept and they wont show for an hour.

Interesting that these "reputable folks" are well liked in the community. Up here, we call them "fences". And trafficking in stolen property will draw more jail time than simple theft. Send those low life fences to jail, the theft will decrease!!!