By Bill Lindelof
blindelof@sacbee.com
Three men were arrested for theft of air conditioning units after an watchful business owner with the latest in security cameras helped nab the suspects.
Glenn Forrest, owner of a north Sacramento heating, plumbing and air conditioning business, was at his home early this morning monitoring cameras trained on the outside of his business. Forrest only sleeps about 4 hours a night.
"I watch it all the time," he said. "I have different managers who also watch it. So while I sleep, others watch it."
At about 4 a.m. he spotted thieves once again breaking into his business, Royce-Air Heating, Plumbing & Air Conditioning, 4280 Pinell St., near Interstate 80 and Marysville Boulevard (see video above).
"Watching from home I saw them make a u-turn in front of the building," said Forrest. "As soon as they cut the fence, I called 911."
The men loaded used air conditioning units which have copper and aluminum coil into a white pickup. Thieves want the coils for their recycling value.
"So when they left, the officer was waiting on the corner," said Forrest. "They started to evade the officer. Two (AC) units fell off on Pinell Street and then when they turned left, two more fell off on Rene Avenue."
On Winters Street near the light rail station, the truck stopped and police arrested three men ages 19, 23 and 21.
All three will be charged on suspicion of theft, police said. The driver will also be charged with suspicion of evading police.
"This has happened many times," Forrest said. "But we have installed video and we watch it 24-7 now. I have a whole computer room with cameras."
Forrest said he is going more hi-tech in the future: Still in the box, about to be installed, is a $2,300 security camera that auto-tracks movement and automatically zooms in.
"So if somebody is walking around the yard the camera will stay on him," said Forrest.
The thieves were strong, moving the heavy units around the yard and loading them into the truck. Just the kind of able-bodied worker who would make a good HVAC employee.
"The sad point is that if they knocked on my door, I'd give them jobs," he said. "But they would rather do this than honest work."
Video caption: Security video supplied by heating and air conditioner business owner Glenn Forrest shows men moving air conditioning units around the yard of his business in north Sacramento. Three men were arrested this morning, suspected of taking air conditioning units from the business, Royce-Air Heating, Plumbing & Air Conditioning, near Marysville Boulevard and Interstate 80.
Call The Bee's Bill Lindelof, (916) 321-1079.
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