PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Va. -- Some Virginia contractors are taking additional steps to prevent theft after thieves stole expensive HVAC equipment from job sites.
Ross Bauschatz, with Priority Home Solutions, said thieves recently targeted one of his job sites in Prince George County, Virginia.
"We come over here about a week and a half ago and we looked and two units, the condenser for the indoor cooler as well as the HVAC, the outdoor unit, compressor, we found them like this," he said about the carcasses of HVAC systems the thieves left behind.
A few hundred feet away, thieves took apart an uninstalled heat pump.
Bauschatz, an independent contractor, said the thefts come with a hefty price tag.
"One hundred to $150 worth of copper is going to cost us, somewhere in the low $20,000s," he said.
Bauschatz said he planned to install security cameras at the site before attempting to reinstall the units.
Charles Osborne, with Incredible HVAC, said he's now often being hired to not repair broken units but to replace stolen ones.
It's a crime that Osborne said comes with risks beyond breaking the law.
"When they gut that copper and let [freon] out, it’s not good for the environment or themselves, it can cause health issues, of breathing an all," he said.
Bauschatz said with less than $200 profit for the thieves and thousands of dollars out of pocket for him, he might consider making the crooks an offer.
"Maybe I should put a sign up, that says, 'Call me, I’ll give you $100 to go,'" he said.
The cost of the thefts comes with another problem which in some cases could mean even bigger expenses.
"The big concern this time of year, with no heat, you know temps down to teens and 20s now, we’re worried about frozen and busted pipes and things of that nature, if we don’t have heat in the building," Bauschatz said.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
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