Over the past several weeks, there have been five (5) thefts and three (3) attempted thefts of ground-mounted heating / air conditioning units or parts of those units. The thieves appear to be removing the tops to gain access to interior parts made of metal materials that are easily traded to recyclers for cash. In the case of some smaller residential units, the entire units have been stolen.
New construction areas and vacant houses are increasingly targeted because the units are unwatched by neighbors and/or contractors. Businesses are also targeted because the larger units are located usually at the rear of buildings where there the thieves are sheltered from view. The residential thefts often happen during the day when no one is at home.
Businesses have been victimized along Guy Road and along Hwy 70W Business. The residential unit thefts have occurred in the Mitchner Hills subdivision and have all been at unoccupied homes. This problem has also been widespread lately in Wake County, Selma, and Johnston County.
Anyone with information or knowledge of these crimes is urged to contact the Clayton Police Department at (919) 553-4611 where a reward is available for information that leads to an arrest and conviction. Additionally, Clayton Crime Stoppers (919) 359-TIPZ (8479) provides rewards for confidential information that leads to an arrest.
The Clayton Police Department offers the following advice to everyone:
1. Get to know your neighborhood and neighbors. If you see someone around a Heating / Air Conditioning Unit that doesn’t look like an official repair man or see a suspicious repair truck/vehicle, please notify the Police. Remember, if you think someone doesn’t belong, call the police.
2. Contractors that deal with Heating / Air Conditioning Units should be conspicuously visible as a reputable business, and should enlist neighborhood help in monitoring units installed at homes under construction. Also, the police may be advised for special attention if several units are being installed at a single area.
3. Planting bushes around an air conditioning unit to hide it from open view is not advisable. Doing so can starve the air conditioning unit from getting the amount of air it needs to work properly. And if it is being tampered with, it may not get noticed.
4. Erecting a fence around an air conditioning unit is also not advisable unless it leaves enough room for air movement and provides adequate space for a service technician to work.