How can I protect my central A/C unit from theft?

Question

People in my neighborhood are having their A/C units (not window units) stolen for the copper in them. I'm trying to find a way to prevent this but I've yet to see a working application thats mass marketed.

Answer 1

That sucks. I hate thieves.

If I were you I would remove the covers on all four sides to gain access to the bottom of the unit and pre drill through the sheet metal and the concrete pad it sits on (hopefully it's concrete and not the newer plastic pads)

Bolt that sucker down into the concrete with large anchor bolts

Answer 2

http://www.loyalhvac.com/Loyal_Alarm.htm...

Answer 3

If your pad is actually a concrete pad that it sits on, you can anchor the base pan to the pad from the inside of the unit.

You could use specialty bolts that would require special tools to remove or standard bolts and grind off the edges of the head to deter removal.

This would be the only way that wouldn't interfere with servicing.

Answer 4

build a box around it sorta like a fence but with a pad locked top.  we are having the same troble here and thats what alot of folks are doing.  even if they bust the lock they would have to remove the whole fence/box to get to the unit and then take it apart.  they would rather just skip your unit and go on to the next .  good luck!

Answer 5

a dog and a shot gun thats what keeps them away in my neighboorhood

Answer 6

There is a device on the market:  http://aandmcustomhurricaneties.com/  they have a device you can lock around your AC unit and prevents theft and also from natural disasters.

Answer 7

here they use steel and expanded metal to make cages for them.  they embed the cage in concrete and weld them shut.  any welding service could build you one but you would have to pour concrete under it to anchor to.