Crime & Safety

More Air Conditioners Disappear in Tinley Park

Police are investigating a string of thefts that left local businesses hot and bothered.

Tinley Park police are investigating the theft of more than 30 air conditioners in three communities that have disappeared in the night.

In the past two months, about 35 air conditioners have been stolen from Tinley Park, Oak Forest and Orland Park during the overnight hours, according to police reports. In Tinley Park, eight of the units were taken from between the 5100 and 8000 blocks of 159th Street.

About 20 total of the 35 stolen units were taken from Tinley Park locations, according to police.

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Tinley Park police have conducted at leat one extended stake out of businesses in the village in response to the thefts.

In several of the heists, power cables were cut on the units.

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One air conditioner was reported stolen from a business in the 6800 block of 167th Street, according to reports. The owner said the air conditioner was last seen on April 12. Two of four air conditioners at a primary care facility in the 17100 block of South Harlem Avenue, were taken. They were last seen on April 19. A nearby motion senor connected to lighting also was damaged.

Another air conditioner was taken on April 25 from a business in the 16800 block of Oak Park Avenue, according to a report. The owner tried to turn on the air conditioning and noticed the unit was missing and the power cable had been cut. She last saw the air conditioner on March 25.

Tinley Park Patch reported earlier in April on the theft of 10 air-conditioning units from businesses.

One air conditioner was reported stolen sometime between March 30 and March 31 from behind Beyer Chiropractic, 17025 S. Harlem Ave., according to a report. The power cable and refrigerant lines were broken.

One week later, another theft of six air conditioners was reported at or near Beyer Chiropractic, according to a report. An employee said another unit was taken and a second was damaged sometime before 6:50 a.m. on April 2. The employee also reported that units from three other locations in the 17000 block of South Harlem Avenue were stolen. Copper pipe and wiring that led to the units was cut in a way suggesting bolt cutters were used.

In another incident reported April 5, a man who went to check on a vacant building at 17040 S. Oak Park Ave. found the air conditioner missing.

Two other air conditioners were reported missing from behind Peoria Manufacturing Inc., 17620 S. Duvan Dr. They disappeared sometime between March 28 and April 1.

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