MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It’s bad enough being burglarized, but having your air conditioning unit stolen in heat like this only adds insult to injury.
A Midtown family said a man did just that.
Their security cameras were rolling when a guy creeped into their backyard on North Parkway.
The footage showed he peeked into their window Friday night then slowly walked up and boldly unscrewed the motion detector light bulb.
Moments later, he reportedly cut the lines to the AC unit and left.
“He had some wire cutters in his pants that he pulled out, and so he knew what he was doing,” said Rhea Armstrong.
She is remodeling the home, but said she didn’t know what all had happened until the thief came back with a buddy two days later.
“I guess they met here at the unit,” she said standing where a new unit sits.
Armstrong said the two men carried her air conditioning away in less than a minute.
“To know somebody has been watching you though when you’re coming and going. It’s just a little unsettling,” she said.
What’s even more unsettling: this crime isn’t uncommon.
Memphis Police said as the temperature rises, so does the number of AC thefts.
WREG asked MPD how many AC units were reported stolen so far this summer.
They told us they don’t keep that data on hand.
Neighbors told us though down the road on Tutwiler, a thief reportedly pried open a metal cage and snatched a unit earlier this month.
Others in the neighborhood said they’ve reported similar crimes this summer too, and that’s just Midtown.
“They’ve done this before. You can tell,” said Armstrong.
It’s why she said she’s plastering the video and hoping the thief gets caught before this cruel crime happens again.
Air conditioning companies suggest you lock down your unit somehow or build a fence or cage around it.
They said even putting in some more lighting can deter the bad guys.
If you know the man in the video, call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.
