Crime & Safety
Air Conditioners Targeted For Scrap Metal
Largo Police report an increase in air conditioning units stolen for resale at scrap metal yards.
Gold and silver aren't the only metals worth money— and thieves know this. Scrap metal sells for $12 per 100 pounds, double what it did a year ago.
That and the hardship felt by the dipping economy is what police say have increased scrap metal thefts in Largo.
"It's at its peak," Largo Police Lt. Mike Loux said, “Metal thefts have been greatly increased ... especially copper and air handlers."
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Thieves can take the air handler off in a couple of minutes, put it in the back of the truck and it's gone, Loux said.
The metal is taken apart and sold at metal scrap yards like Big 3 Recycling in Clearwater.
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Big 3 Recycling has seen an increase in scrap metal coming into its yard. But they attribute the extra volume to the prices of metals going up. Customers get $12 per 100 pounds of steel compared to $5 or $6 per 100 pounds just a year ago, said Joel York of Big 3 Recycling.
According to Largo police more metal thefts have occurred in industrial areas and vacant homes. To combat the problem, they have increased surveillance and are patrolling shopping plazas that remain the main targets.
They also routinely check with scrap yards to find out if anyone has taken in unusually large amounts of scrap metals that can be connected with ongoing investigations. The scrap metal yards are required by law to take the driver’s license number, vehicle tag number and a photo of customers each time they come to sell metals.
The people walking into Big 3 Recycling are an even mix of walk-ins and companies selling metal. York says the quantities brought in by companies account for 80 to 90 percent of business.
“We do buy a lot of steel. There’s no telling where it comes from. It’s all mangled,” York said.
How to Protect Your Air Conditioner
- Increase surveillance and visibility by trimming bushes and adding lighting to areas.
- Enclosing air conditioners with steel cages is another option, but enclosures can be tricky because the units have to remain accessible for maintenance and need adequate ventilation.