Scrap metal thieves targeting rental and for-sale homes

By Nathan Hardin

nhardin@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Scrap metal thieves are targeting homes with “for sale” or “for rent” signs on display, authorities say.

Salisbury Police and Rowan County deputies said they have seen an uptick in air conditioning units taken at homes with signs in the front yard. A trend that has become “common place” for those in real estate.

“We have had residences that are lived in,” said Salisbury Police Capt. Melonie Thompson, “but it seems like the majority of them have been rental units or are unoccupied homes, or homes or businesses that are for sale.”

Through January, authorities said they saw air conditioning unit thefts at a higher rate than in 2011.

Thompson said the method of stealing has also changed.

“Initially, when we started seeing these thefts, they would sit there and they would take apart the unit and they would take out the copper,” Thompson said. “But the new way is to take the whole unit because they can take less time.”

John Sifford, spokesman for the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, said deputies are seeing similar trends in scrap metal thefts.

While interviewing scrap metal theft suspects last week, Sifford said, the accused thieves told officers that they drove around looking for homes on the market.

“During the investigation, the suspects related to us that they had targeted houses that had ‘for sale’ or ‘for rent’ signs in front because they felt pretty safe in going after those units,” Sifford said, “because they knew no one was there and that the house was unoccupied.”

Authorities say copper is still the main draw for scrap metal thieves, but officers are getting more reports of entire units disappearing.

Cindy Ehrman, president of the Salisbury-Rowan Association of Realtors, said finding missing units at a property is “almost to be expected” nowadays.

“It’s almost common-place,” Ehrman said, “especially if we’re showing vacant property.”

Ehrman said she has seen potential buyers sometimes have questions after learning about stolen units, but said in most cases the price is adjusted accordingly.

Authorities said they have also seen businesses and occupied residences targeted.

Investigators say thieves are using trucks to transport stolen units and may even be dressed as maintenance workers. Officers ask that residents to be aware of suspicious persons or vehicles in the area.