HARPER WOOD, Mich. (WXYZ) — Police in Harper Woods are investigating a rash of air conditioning unit thefts that have left residents without cooling systems just as metro Detroit prepares for rising temperatures.
About five air conditioning units were stolen in Harper Woods over the course of three weeks, with similar thefts reported in neighboring communities.
"My neighbor actually texted me, 'Didn't you guys just get a new air conditioning unit?' And I wrote her back, texted her back, 'yeah.' And she said, 'Well, it's gone.' I'm like you gotta be kidding me," John McTaggart said.
McTaggart was one of several Harper Woods residents whose A/C unit was stolen from the side of his house around 3 a.m. on June 4.
"It's a bummer all the way around, honestly," McTaggart said.
A week later, thieves targeted Tim Bolton's house less than half a mile away.
"The police knocked on my front door. I'm watching TV inside my house, and they're telling me my air conditioning unit was stolen," Bolton said.
An officer told McTaggart the suspects appear to be well-organized.
"He said, you know, 'we think these, they're a pretty well-organized outfit because they seem to know how to remove it both efficiently and quickly without any noise,'" McTaggart said.
Police in Grosse Pointe Woods reported that thieves also stole an air conditioner unit from a home on Littlestone last week. That home is located near another on Broadstone Street in Harper Woods, which was targeted around the same time.
The Harper Woods Police Department says several communities are experiencing these thefts. The thieves typically strike overnight, disconnecting power and cutting refrigerant lines before stealing the units. Corner houses are more likely to be targeted.
Detectives from several police agencies are working together to investigate this crime trend. Harper Woods police believe the stolen units are being sold on the street for profit.
"The thing I'm surprised is they don't get a lot of money for that, and yet it costs a lot of money to buy a brand new one," Bolton said.
"It's $4,500 for the initial unit, and the replacement will probably be about $5,000," McTaggart said.
Police suggest locking the junction box, which holds the A/C unit's condenser fuse, to make it more difficult for thieves. Homeowners can also install a security cage over the unit.
"The more steps you take to allow them more steps to do it, the better off you are," McTaggart said.
Anyone with information about the thefts is asked to call the Harper Woods Police at 313-343-2530 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
