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Copper Thefts Cost Century $23K; No Arrests Made
February 19, 2013
Recent copper thefts are hitting the Town of Century hard, with air conditioning repairs to cost $23,349.
In late January, copper thieves hit all eight commercial air conditioning units outside the former town owned Van Nevel Helicopters building on Industrial Boulevard, and 10 of 14 units at the town’s Habitat Building on Pond Street. All of the buildings are currently unoccupied.
According to Mayor Freddie McCall, the town’s insurance deductible is up to $5,000 per building. While the complex on Pond Street is commonly referred to a the “Habitat Building”, it is actually five different buildings that comprised the old Carver Middle School.
The lowest bid obtained by the town for making the repairs was $23,349 by Bud’s Refrigeration in Flomaton. The repairs were approved Monday night by the Century Town Council on a 4-1 vote, with Sandra McMurray Jackson against.
McCall estimated the street value of the stolen copper to be about $200.
So far, there have not been any arrests in the thefts. Anyone with information on the crimes is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured top: An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office crime scene technician dusts a broken window for fingerprints at the former Van Nevel Helicopters building in Century. Pictured inset: The crime scene tech photographs damage to an air conditioning unit. Pictured below: The vacant town owned building was burglarized and copper was stripped from outside air conditioning units. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
3 Responses to “Copper Thefts Cost Century $23K; No Arrests Made”
Make the penalty for theft more drastic, and people won’t be so tempted to steal!
Same ole element in all communities. People are doped up, wont work, looking to get something for nothing. Our taxes end up paying for it.
Being the buildings are not occupied, and might not be for sometime, I would put the money aside to repair the HVAC until a tenant leased the buildings.
Why spend the money for repairs when the vandalism / theft could occur again as soon as the repairs are made.
I see several businesses relocating the A/C units to roof tops of buildings to make it more difficult to gain access. Might want to consider this option.