TIRUCHY: The rise in copper price has made outdoor units of air conditioners easy target for thieves as at least 20 cases of copper tube theft from ACs have been officially recorded in city limits.
According to city police, theft cases involving AC coils and electrical wiring were registered from September 2025 to June 2026, and over 10 suspects have been arrested.
The police said the suspects had sold the parts to scrap dealer for quick money, causing financial loss and repeated repair costs for owners of houses, commercial places.
The incidents are linked to the rising market value of copper and the ease of removing parts from outdoor AC units for sale through scrap networks causing financial loss and repeated repair costs for property owners.
Most thefts occur between midnight and 4 am. The police said the suspects generally survey locations during the day. Based on market trends, copper has become an attractive target for theft due to its rising price. From 2023 to 2026, prices rose from `700/kg to `1,700/kg.
Scrap copper is bought at lower rates (about Rs 700/kg for wire and Rs 200-500/kg for tubes. Thieves often burn or strip insulated copper wires in isolated places to remove plastic coating and increase resale value, sources said.
A stationery shop in Thillai Nagar lost copper tubes from its air-conditioning system and spent nearly Rs 20,000 on repairs. A biryani outlet on Sastri Road reported a loss of copper tubing two months ago, leading to repair costs of nearly `1 lakh.
In another case, 13 houses in a residential apartment near Thennur Pallivasal reported theft from all AC units within eight months and spent `1 lakh. A private training academy on Sastri Road also lost copper tubes and spent around `10,000 on repairs.
P Yogesh, a staff from a shop in the building said, “Within a single night, thieves removed copper tubes from multiple AC units. By morning, all the cooling systems had failed. It disrupted business and caused unnecessary panic among tenants.”
R Mano, a resident in Thennur, said, “Every few months, at least one AC unit gets damaged. It is not just the cost, but the constant fear that nothing is safe.”
On March 10, a 10-foot copper tube was stolen from the labour ward of Tiruchy MGMGH. In September 2025, copper wire worth about `2.5 lakh was stolen from a construction site inside the Tiruchy Court campus.
Consumer Rights Movement general secretary Maheswari Vaiyapuri said that the thieves involved are mostly between 16 and 24 years old. “The police are not focusing enough on preventing repeat offences, and minor offenders are often released quickly” she said.
Responding to such thefts, Commissioner of police, Tiruchy city N Kamini said called it not a regular incident but being reported once in a week especially in Fort and Srirangam ranges. “With our available manpower, the patrols and beat rounds are in place. Residents and commercial establishments should install CCTV cameras to help prevent crimes.”