Brazen Atlanta Copper Bandits Fueling HVAC Theft Surge, Sometimes at Gunpoint

Air conditioner theft is on the rise around Atlanta, with thieves stripping outdoor units for the copper inside — a scrap metal they can sell for cash. In one case, two men pulled up to a home and stole the entire a/c unit in about six or seven minutes while the homeowner was out. The unit cost roughly $3,000 to replace; the thieves likely got $30 to $40 in scrap. At an apartment complex in southeast Atlanta, thieves hit at least six units, leaving some residents, including a child with health needs, without air conditioning during the summer heat.

Not every case has ended without consequences. In one South Fulton, Georgia, incident, a neighbor spotted a suspicious van before dawn and called police, leading to a chase and four arrests. In a more alarming case, two women broke into an Atlanta home in July, threatened the homeowners with a gun, and stole copper from the unit. Police caught them and found a recycling center receipt for $44 in their car.

One affected homeowner said it is worth spending extra money to have an a/c unit locked up. That has led to a surge in demand for protective steel cages that bolt around outdoor units, with at least one Atlanta-area security company reporting more calls than it has ever had. If you have an outdoor condenser unit at your house, this is the kind of theft it could be vulnerable to, since the copper coils and lines inside are the target.