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Copper prices may have fallen, but law enforcement officials are still busy with a rise in copper-related thefts. Last December, just a month before the price of copper reached an all-time high, Maryland State Police arrested a ring of thieves who now face more than 400 charges. During a three-week span in September, the Carroll County quartet stole 53 HVAC units valued at more than $160,000 (USD) from 32 vacant homes and businesses.
"These criminals were very meticulous in what they were doing," explained Maryland State Police spokesperson Greg Shipley. "They had a flat-bed trailer that they were pulling behind a pickup truck, and they were strapping them onto that and hauling them under the cover of darkness." Fortunately for the police, these copper thieves were also meticulous note-takers who recorded the dates and addresses of their marks before disassembling the stolen HVAC systems and selling the metal components to scrapyards.
Some law enforcement officials characterize copper thieves as petty criminals or drug addicts in search of a fix. The case from Carroll County, however, indicates that concerns about HVAC theft are more than hot air. What steps is your organization taking to ensure that its heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems remain secure?
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Re: Is Your HVAC System Secure?
