By Rolf Boone / The Olympian
Four Tumwater businesses have carried on without air conditioning after the units were stolen, according to police.
And these weren’t window AC units typically found in residential homes, but entire commercial HVAC appliances that were stolen, Tumwater police spokeswoman Laura Wohl said this week.
All four were stolen in the past two weeks and one was damaged in the process of being taken, but ultimately was not removed, she said.
Two of those businesses were in the same area: Yamaguchi Family Dentistry was burglarized and so was Family Chiropractic. Both are located off Capitol Boulevard and south of Trosper Road.
The thefts were confirmed by people who answered the phones at the businesses, although the business owners could not be reached.
All four crimes likely occurred overnight because they were reported the following morning as people came to work, Wohl said.
Wohl said they’re not sure what the thieves were after, although it might be related to the value of metal or wiring.
For the moment, the thefts appear to be unique to Tumwater.
Olympia police Lt. Paul Lower said he was not aware of a similar crime in the city. Lacey police Sgt. Shannon Barnes said there have been reports of copper wire being stolen from HVAC appliances at new construction sites, but not businesses.
Anyone with information about the AC thefts is asked to call Tumwater police at 360-754-4200.
