Cases of air-conditioner pipe thefts and other pilferages have surfaced in HA Block in Salt Lake. At least two houses have been robbed over the past two weeks of the copper pipes connected to air-conditioners outside homes.
“My aged mother and aunt live in this house and when their AC wasn’t cooling, I called the technician who said the copper pipe had been stolen. Repairs cost about Rs 12,000,” said Payal Bose Biswas, who visits the HA Block home on a daily basis. “Today thieves have targeted the pipes, next they could attempt bigger crimes. What has happened to security in the locality?”
President of the HA Block residents’ association, Tarasankar Chatterjee, said two cases of AC pipe thefts had been reported of late, along with cases of tap and manhole cover thefts from driveways, gardens and backyards of homes.
“Since these items are rather small, residents are not particular about reporting them to the police. But we are concerned as the block comprises many elderly citizens. We used to have night guards but they fled for their villages during the pandemic and we have not been able to replace them. We are contemplating installing CCTV cameras in the lanes now,” said Chatterjee.
Cases of AC pipe thefts had become rampant earlier this year in Sector I blocks like BA and AA while tap thefts were reported from Action Area 1 blocks in New Town like BF and BC. In both cases, children as young as 10 years of age were getting caught for the crimes.