Tips, Tutorials, and Checklists to help manage ministry risks ›   Prevent Copper Theft Guard Against Copper Thieves How to keep them from striking your church Despite declining scrap metal prices and tougher laws in many states, thieves are still targeting churches, vacant buildings, and construction sites in their quest for copper. Church air conditioning units are a frequent target. Thieves have been taking other metal items as well: gutters, electrical wiring, and pipes. Catalytic converters, which contain platinum and other precious metals, are being taken from vehicles stored in church parking lots. Even rooftop heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are being destroyed so thieves can nab copper tubing inside. One Alabama church had its air conditioning units stolen twice in 10 days. Each time, thieves got about $300 worth of copper, and the church had to pay more than $3,000 for replacements. A church in Detroit, Michigan, spent more than $50,000 to replace heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units damaged by copper thieves.

How to Protect YourselfThey want easy access, so they can get what they want quickly and escape without notice. window ac unit during winterBy hindering access and making detection more likely, you can reduce your risk of becoming a victim. smallest portable ac unitsHere are some ideas to consider.house ac unit freezing up Place a cage or fence around air conditioning units. Secure the electrical power shut-off switch. Move the switch, if it’s located near the air conditioning units. Enclose church property with a secure fence. Post “no trespassing” signs. Remove ladders and other items offering easy access to rooftop HVAC units. Replace copper downspouts with other materials. Store vehicles inside locked garages or sheds.

If that’s not an option, have members drive vehicles home each night, so they’re not left in parking lots. Don’t leave copper plumbing, gutters, or wiring on construction sites. Improve Likelihood of Detection Increase lighting around HVAC units and places where thieves might hide. Install alarms on HVAC units. A sensor can be set to trigger an alarm if the power to the AC unit is disconnected or if the AC coolant level drops. Use security cameras to monitor target areas, including construction sites. Some systems feature motion activation and can contact police if activity is detected. Ask church members to drive past the church when they’re in the neighborhood, looking for suspicious cars, people, or activity. Invite church neighbors to call police if they notice unusual activity. Have local police patrol your property regularly during evening and night hours. If any ministry buildings are vacant or temporarily unoccupied, it’s important to protect them.

Thieves are more likely to strike empty buildings, since they're less likely to get caught. You’ll want to protect not only the building’s air conditioner, but also any copper plumbing or valuables that may be inside. Here are some suggestions: Visit vacant or unoccupied buildings regularly to make sure they’re secure. Stagger your visits to make them unpredictable. Don’t show up every Tuesday at 2 p.m. Make them look “lived in.” Shovel snow, mow the lawn, collect newspapers and mail, place lights on timers, and leave a radio or television set on during your absence. Ask neighbors and police to keep an eye on the place. Keep fire and burglar alarm systems operational, so authorities are alerted to problems. Also, it’s important to let your insurance agent know if any buildings listed on your policy are vacant or unoccupied. If a loss occurs after a building has been unoccupied for more than 60 days, your policy may exclude the loss or reduce your payment by 15 percent.

This makes protecting your investment even more significant, since your church would bear a greater share of any loss. Additional Steps to Take Contact your local police or fire department. See if they’ll do a free assessment and offer tips for improving your property’s security.Ask what measures state lawmakers are taking to prevent copper thefts in your area.Fort Wayne Police Department << View All Crime Prevention Unfortunately, copper theft has become an all too common occurrence. This has been happening throughout the United States, so it is not a problem unique to Fort Wayne. Therefore, the Fort Wayne Police Department would like to offer the following tips to help prevent the theft of copper items from your property. Remove the exterior of your exterior air conditioning units and spray paint the copper tubing with a florescent orange or green paint. Then replace the exterior. Use microdot or DataDot® technology on your tubing in place of spray paint.

Another product is called SmartWater®, which can be used on any property. //Video.aspx for information on these products. Remove the landscaping or fencing from around the air conditioner unit to improve the surveillance of the area. Install or improve the lighting over your air conditioner units. Use an engraver to engrave the address of the property onto various places on the air conditioner units. Avoid using the property owner’s information since this may change often, whereas the property address will remain the same. Spray paint or use microdot or DataDot® technology for the copper found in utility rooms, boiler rooms, etc. Engrave any copper tubing with the address of the property along with any other of the previous ideas. Ensure that any theft is reported to the Fort Wayne Police Department. If you do not have a suspect, you may call Teleservice at 427-1222 to make a report over the telephone. It is important for you to take the above precautions to help prevent the theft of the copper from you property.