Unprotected Rooftop Units A High Risk And Devastating Cost
Elsewhere in the country, rooftop HVAC units have been a draw to burglars now it is spread to the Pacific Northwest. In recent months reports of HVAC units being stripped of their copper has been reported in significantly increasing numbers. Even though the value of the copper retrieved is hardly worth the effort of the removal, criminals are not deterred, and the magnified cost to repair the damages is making this problem an issue that cannot afford to go unaddressed.
| Metal burglary will cost Bethel Baptist $25,000 – Rockford, IL – |
An estimated $25,000 in damages was committed over the past two weeks at Bethel Baptist Church, located at Harrison Avenue and Kishwaukee Street, where burglars gutted several air-conditioning compressor units for their copper contents. “They put us in a bad shape,” Pastor Kerry Newburn said.
With the recycle price of copper still at attractive prices, burglars are looking for every opportunity. Because of the high risk of electrocution death from high voltage cables, units like HVAC and air conditioners have become the favored targets.
There are specific things you can do to curb this growing problem…
Proper mounting with special bolts
Relocation of ladders, vehicles, garbage bins, etc. that afford easy roof access
Rooftop monitoring via video alarm monitoring (www.churchsafety.com/articles/2010/guardagainstcopperthieves.html)
With the demand for repairs and replacements escalating to account for these burglaries, suppliers are warning that the backlog is growing significantly.
In conjunction with this threat, an increasing number of Solar Panels are being stolen from rooftops and ending up on either internet sites or in “growing operations” around the Northwest. (www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/technology/24solar.html)
The fact that each these panels takes hours to properly install, is no distraction. They can be removed in minutes and if a panel is damaged in the removal process, the potential for resale profit is so high it is worth the risk to the criminal.
These units can be protected by similar actions taken to protect HVAC units.
Either of these incidents can result in tens-of-thousands of dollars to repair or replace, and weeks if not months before returning to normal operations, making protection and prevention efforts more cost effective than suffering a loss.
Your Sonitrol Pacific security professional can help you avoid these devastating losses. Call your representative today for immediate assistance or call toll free at 1-800-898-1899 for help.