Copper thieves are targeting air conditioning units in Oshawa, police say

The Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) is warning the public about a new trend of criminal activity in Oshawa.

Investigators say thieves are targeting outdoor air conditioners and heat pumps at residential and commercial properties. 

“Since the beginning of the year, there have been 22 reported incidents involving the theft of copper piping and wiring from these units in Oshawa,” DRPS wrote in a social media post shared on Tuesday. “If you observe any suspicious activity near air-conditioning units, please contact the police immediately.”

Copper has long been a target for thieves, as it has a high resale value and can be sold easily to scrapyards.

Air conditioners aren’t the only target. In rural Nova Scotia, some residents were without phone and internet services over the weekend after bandits allegedly used wirecutters to make off with copper lines that belonged to Bell Canada.

Federal officials say copper wire theft is on the rise in Canada, but it’s difficult to combat because the infrastructure usually lacks basic security and its identifiers can be easily erased.

Major companies such as Bell Canada and Telus Corp. have been decommissioning some of their copper lines in recent years amid a long-term pivot toward fibre-powered networks. 

– With files from The Canadian Press.