A string of rooftop thefts left several small businesses in Syracuse, New York, with little or no air conditioning, as well as repair bills that could be devastating for the neighborhood storefronts.
Here's what to know
During the first week of August, thieves removed parts from cooling systems and, in some cases, entire units from the roof of a shared-use building on Westcott Street, Syracuse.com reported.
Among the businesses affected were Boom Babies, Westcott Liquor, Syracuse Halal Gyro/Westcott Grocery, and Rise N Shine.
Jim Spinella, the building's owner, told the outlet that repair estimates topped $55,000 and he was spending thousands more on added security, including lighting, signs, barbed wire fencing, and cameras.
Spinella said compressors were gone from nearly every unit. The Syracuse Police estimated the damage at more than $20,000, and Sgt. Tom Blake said the case was under investigation.
"I just feel tremendously, tremendously bad for my tenants right now," Spinella told Syracuse.com. "It's a very difficult situation. You feel damned if you do, damned if you don't."
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More background
For workers and customers alike, missing air conditioning can be a daily problem.
With indoor temperatures rising above 85 degrees, Boom Babies shut its doors hours early, co-owner Meaghan Crandall said.
The issue seemed innocent enough at first. Employees had arrived at work to find the store's cooling system was not working. An HVAC specialist's roof check ended with a startling explanation, Crandall said. The technician told her, "I can't fix your AC unit because you don't have an AC unit," per Syracuse.com.
Rise N Shine still had a functioning unit, owner Danielle Mercuri said, while the halal restaurant was getting by with two small units and the liquor store was left without a working air-conditioning unit.
What's being done?
Spinella said he was trying to make the property less vulnerable to future theft.
He noted a stronger law enforcement presence could discourage repeat crimes in the area.
Spinella told Syracuse.com that replacing the damaged units felt risky and could leave businesses in an expensive bind.
Boom Babies has been in the area for nearly 40 years, and Crandall said the business was not leaving Westcott Street.
"We're such an establishment where we are," she said, according to Syracuse.com. "We've never discussed moving."
Where can I learn more?
Air conditioning problems can create health, legal, and financial headaches for renters and owners.
• In Arizona, landlords can face emergency AC repair deadlines in triple-digit heat.
• In Missouri's Spanish Lake, tenants were left to endure sweltering heat after air conditioning failed.
• Homeowners can miss hidden AC problems that quietly raise bills.
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