Thieves Steal Air Conditioner Unit From New Lafayette Business

(Lafayette, Louisiana) - A local contractor is asking you to be on the lookout for an AC unit that was stolen from a new business in Lafayette Parish.

Rusty Richard tells me that the 4-ton commercial-grade Trane unit was stolen from a job site at 117 Duhon Road.

The new property, which is set to be a State Farm Insurance Office, had a huge AC unit stolen recently, and Richard says they were nearing completion of the new office space when it was stolen.

The contractors were set to hand the keys over to the new owners this week, and when they returned one morning to finalize things, they noticed that someone had taken the unit outside.

Security cameras in the new office space were recentlly taken down as the project approached completion, but Richard says that nearby businesses may have captured thieves getting away with the new AC unit.

Police have been given access to surveillance video in the area and are reportedly reviewing it.

Black Market for AC Units

Until then, the local contractor wants AC shops and repair services to be on the lookout for this massive unit. Richard provided me with the model and serial number for the stolen unit, and you can see them here. He anticipates that the thieves may try to sell it to those who sell or repair AC units.

The unit has since been replaced by the contractor, and it has cost him $4500. If you have any information about this case, or have been approached by anyone to sell a new AC unit using the information provided, you are asked to contact the Lafayette Police Dept.

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As you can see here, the unit was disconnected and loaded up in a suspected getaway truck. Richard believes that two or more people were involved in this theft because of the size of the unit stolen.

The local contract does ask that you share this story in hopes that this doesn't happen again in Acadiana, or perhaps you or someone you know has been approached by the thieves.