In Metro Atlanta, some homeowners are putting their air-conditioning units behind steel bars for a simple reason: Thieves are stealing them in minutes.
The step may seem extreme, but for property owners facing summer heat and replacement bills in the thousands, a cage can be a far cheaper fix.
Here's what to know
Ring camera footage from a property Atlanta homeowner Kysii Ingram was preparing to sell showed how fast an outdoor unit can disappear.
According to WSB-TV, while he was out to dinner with his wife, two men drove up, backed a truck toward the system, and took the entire unit.
The theft happened in broad daylight and was over within minutes.
"Very brazen because they didn't care," Ingram said. "The HVAC was gone within six to seven minutes."
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Replacing what was taken can be costly. Ingram said he paid nearly $3,000 after the theft, and Ornamental Security owner Chris Welch said that a new AC unit can run $4,000 to $5,000 or more, depending on the system.
By comparison, Welch said installed cages are cheaper: about $700 to $800 for a basic steel version, or roughly $1,000 to $1,200 with added mesh protection.
More background
Part of what makes outdoor AC units a target is the metal inside them, particularly copper.
Some thieves strip the systems for scrap, while others simply haul away the whole unit and deal with it elsewhere, as happened in Ingram's case.
The return for the thief can be small compared with the damage done to the owner.
Welch said the copper from a single residential unit may bring only about $30 to $40 as scrap, while the homeowner can be left with thousands of dollars in replacement and installation costs, plus the loss of cooling during hot weather.
Welch said the increase in thefts is clear from the number of people seeking protection.
"I've never gotten this many calls about AC thefts ever," Welch said. "And we've been in business since 1992."
What can be done?
For homeowners and landlords, one option is a steel barrier around the outdoor unit. It will not make theft impossible, but it can turn a quick grab into a slower and more difficult job.
Still, it's not ideal since it will likely put a small drag on the efficiency of the unit by blocking some degree of airflow, especially if the caging is significant in front of the exhaust.
After replacing his stolen system, Ingram took that step. He put a steel security cage around the new unit so that anyone trying again would have to spend more time and effort.
Exterior cameras that clearly cover the unit, good lighting, and frequent checks on vacant or for-sale properties may also help, since unattended homes can be easier targets. Location of an air conditioner or heat pump and fencing can make a big difference too.
As Ingram put it: "The cage got on it immediately. They still can get it with a cage, but it just takes a lot longer."
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