CENTER LINE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Thieves have stolen at least 4 air conditioning units from a Center Line neighborhood, leaving residents without a way to cool their homes as summer temperatures climb.
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Police say the thefts happened at Kramer Homes Co-op, where cut wires, empty pads, and exposed copper are all that remain where the units once sat. Investigators believe the thieves are targeting the units for the copper inside.
Maggie Demos, a Kramer Homes resident, said she learned her unit was gone after a call from a maintenance worker.
"I get a call around noon, and they tell me that the maintenance man noticed that my a/c was stolen," Demos said.
Demos said her neighbor's unit was also taken.
"They stole the whole thing, and they also took my neighbors," Demos said.
Replacing a stolen unit is not cheap. Demos said she is facing a significant expense to restore cooling to her home.
"I was looking at $3,500 for a new one. I might get a used one, but it's very expensive," Demos said.
Demos has since purchased a window AC unit for temporary relief, but said she struggles to understand why someone would take such a risk.
"I mean, you can do anything. You can DoorDash on your bike. You don't have to steal copper. If you would've knocked on my door and asked me for some money, I would have given it to you. Just don't take my stuff, I work hard," Demos said.
Neighbor Reilly McShane said the thefts have put the community on edge.
"It's really concerning to me," McShane said.
McShane said the timing hit close to home.
"Mine was just replaced within the last year, so yeah, very concerning," McShane said.
Center Line is not the only community dealing with the problem. Warren police said they are investigating 2 similar cases from earlier this month.
Kramer Homes management said the co-op will increase security patrols and is asking residents to report any suspicious activity to police.
Anyone with information is asked to call Center Line police.
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