Times are tough, but this is rediculous...

t316

t316

Active Member
As titled....this is ABSOLUTELY REDICULOUS

So I get to my shop on Tuesday morning, following the Labor Day weekend, notice something odd with the bushes along the side of the buiding, but open up anyway. Decide to go back out and follow up on my curiosity, and this is what I find.....


 
t316

t316

Active Member
This is what "should" be sitting there. I had 3 of these, now 2.

Friggin' REDICULOUS...

Welcome to Raleigh folks.
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
its a sign of the times unfortuneatly they have hit churches here and the light company many times for the copper. entergy went as far as useing a light visible only paint and dye to mark their lines so that a special light will show it. on top of that here you have to show a valid ID and a current utility bill in your name and address on it to stop things like that. also the scrap yards have to hold the whole items for a week before it can finish being scrapped out.
its unreal what people are doing for that extra cash.
Sorry that someone hit you I agree a barbbed wire fence will detour but wont stop it.
I would put a video camera on the other 2 units before they disapear though because more than likely it was a quick easy target and they will see the other 2 as the same.
Mike
 
t316

t316

Active Member
I thought about putting beams around them and padlocking, but like barbed wire, what good is that going to do? If they want it, they just cut the padlock, or barbed wire. I had BIG padlocks on my outdoor containers and they were cut off and broken into less than 6 months ago. Thieves walked off with nearly 3K worth of aluminum.
Correct Spanko, and I have a scrap yard just a couple miles from here. Only problem is, they never show up as a whole unit, rather in 1000 small pieces mixed in with other scrap.
 
t316

t316

Active Member
Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2747096
I would put a video camera on the other 2 units before they disapear though because more than likely it was a quick easy target and they will see the other 2 as the same.
Mike
I thought about this, but they usually don't give you much detail. The side of the bldg. is lit up, but the only place for a cam would be the roof. Chances of seeing a car tag # at night....slim. I thought about at the very least putting up a couple of "dummy" cams, but then Iv'e read where co's got sued after an assault or ----. Victim was provided with "a false sense of security"...
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
That would tick me off. Jenny do you really have your wrapped in barbed wire? That is awesome!
I wouldn't bother with cameras even if you get a picture of the guy, cops aren't going to go raid the place. They'll only do something if they run across him.
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
Originally Posted by Rylan1
http:///forum/post/2747135
can you place the units on the roof?
One of our LFS's had their A/C's nabbed. They were on the roof. The recent prices of copper is crazy. They make "cages" that surround the unit, and make theift a lot more tendious.
 
t316

t316

Active Member
The roof would make it a little more cumbersome, but the cost for me to relocate all of these units at this point would be really expensive. It's just really frustrating. I really just want to put a sign up saying "if you are in this much need, don't cut all my wires and steal something, come see me and I'll try to help you", "right after I beat the hell out of you"

The Raleigh investigator told me that 3 things are being stolen around here at astronomical rates....
1. A/C condensor units (yaaa, I'm aware)
2. Catalytic converters...they just saw them off and are gone in seconds. A local walmart just had 15 stolen in one night (while the store was open).
3. Fuel. My wife just had a full tank syphoned out of her minivan about a month ago in a target lot....
 
scotts

scotts

Active Member
Dude, talk about sucking....
What really pisses you off is that for, what, maybe $10 in copper, it will cost you hundreds to replace it.

Good luck with that sign.
You know at a company I worked at we bought those fake video cameras and put them on the roof. They looke real with a wire coming out of them. They stole the fake video cameras.
It's funny how you mention gas, I was just thinking last week about how we all used to buy locking gas caps, then they put the switch inside the car to pop the gas tank cover. With new cars they don't do that anymore, I figured no one was stealing gas anymore.
So sorry to see that happened to you. You need to be careful that they don't steal the new one, it has happened before, if they find what is an easy mark.
 
cranberry

cranberry

Active Member
People are grabbing everything. Last year I failed my smog test (well my car did) and when they did a little checking around to find out why, we discovered my catalytic converter had been stolen o_O They said it was for the metal, not the object.
 
t316

t316

Active Member
Originally Posted by SpiderWoman
http:///forum/post/2747192
Holy Moley! Sorry that happened to you Dwight. That just sucks.
Will your insurance cover that?
I don't know. I'm checking into it, but I'm sure I have a $500-$1000 deductible, plus they will raise the rates.
Scotts;2747201 said:
Dude, talk about sucking....
What really pisses you off is that for, what, maybe $10 in copper, it will cost you hundreds to replace it.

Good luck with that sign.
You know at a company I worked at we bought those fake video cameras and put them on the roof. They looke real with a wire coming out of them. They stole the fake video cameras.
It's funny how you mention gas, I was just thinking last week about how we all used to buy locking gas caps, then they put the switch inside the car to pop the gas tank cover. With new cars they don't do that anymore, I figured no one was stealing gas anymore.
QUOTE]
Hundreds? I'm guessing a replacement condenser will probably cost me a couple grand at least, unless I find a used one. And gas, my wife's van did have that flip button on the inside, and the van was locked. After looking at the tank lid, it looks like a pretty cheap setup that they just stuck something in the crack and it popped right open. My truck does not have this, you can just open it right up. So if they hit me on a full tank of diesal (F250), you are looking at nearly $150 bucks worth.
Click to expand...
 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
Wow and people always say Philadelphia is an unsafe place to live. I don't hear any of those things happening around here..
I am sorry to hear about the theft, T316.
 
spiderwoman

spiderwoman

Active Member
Charlotte area news has been reporting tons of catalyc converter thefts at a used car lot and they were then sold to a scrap yard less than mile away.
 
t316

t316

Active Member
Thanks lion_crazz, & others. I have been PO'ed all week, but just now got some pics. I just wanted to vent, so thanks for listening.
Spidey, you better gas up and buckle down....Easley just held a press conference saying the storm has shifted West, so the Triangle & Triad & possibly further West will be having damage tonight. Iv'e got a generator for the tank, but never had to use it. Should be an interesting night
 
adhoc

adhoc

Member
My father in law lives in San Antonio, they've been having a lot of problems with those same thefts - condensers and catalytic converters. They enacted new laws to combat it, one of which is scrap metal and recycling centers can't accept any condenser parts without an AC service report showing that the unit was replaced. So people can't walk in off the street with a coil and no documentation.
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by SpiderWoman
http:///forum/post/2747217
Charlotte area news has been reporting tons of catalyc converter thefts at a used car lot and they were then sold to a scrap yard less than mile away.
Those cats have something ( I don't remember what) but it is very valuable. More than just for scrap.
 
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