As AC thefts spread in Atlanta, homeowners are turning to $700 cages to avoid losses

In metro Atlanta, some homeowners are dealing with a brutal double hit: soaring temperatures and missing air conditioners.

Rather than worrying only about high power bills during hot weather, some residents are returning home to find their entire outdoor AC units gone — stolen in minutes and leaving property owners to cover far steeper replacement costs.

Here's what to know

According to Yahoo News, citing WSB-TV, homeowner Casey Ingram returned to find his outdoor AC system missing, and footage later showed two men pulling into his driveway, backing up a truck, and taking the unit.

The couple was out to dinner when it happened, WSB-TV reported, and the thieves spent less than seven minutes on the property.

According to WSB-TV, Ingram then had to spend nearly $3,000 on a new system for a property he had been preparing to sell — a steep and unexpected expense tied to a crime that may have netted the thieves only a few dozen dollars.

WSB-TV reported that the scrap copper from one AC unit may bring only about $30 to $40, while replacing the stolen system can run a homeowner roughly $4,000 to $5,000.

More background

The problem does not appear to be limited to a single property.

Chris Welch, owner of Ornamental Security, told WSB-TV that in three decades in business, he has never had this many calls about stolen AC units.

According to WSB-TV, Welch has already put a cage on a Vine City Airbnb after its unit was stolen, and he has also worked on a Kroger store where thieves stripped copper and other metals from multiple units.

What can be done?

Making the unit harder to steal may be the most practical step.

Ingram installed a protective cage around his replacement system, and security contractors say that kind of barrier can be an effective deterrent.

The cost is not insignificant, but it is far lower than the cost of replacing an entire unit. WSB-TV reported that a basic cage costs about $700 to $800 installed, while a heavier-mesh version can cost roughly $1,000 to $1,200.

If a barrier turns a six-minute theft into a louder, longer, and more difficult job, many thieves may decide it is not worth the risk.

Residents can also review camera coverage, improve lighting around exterior units, and talk with neighbors about suspicious activity, especially in areas where multiple thefts have been reported.

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