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COPPER PIPE THEFT AT SCHOOLS
A syndicate is believed to be behind the spate
of copper-pipe theft at schools...
RED-HOT COPPER
Thieves stole the home's copper pipes
between Sept. 15 and Sept. 18, a crime
on the upswing locally and nationwide
thanks to high prices for recycled copper.
DETROIT HOT ABOUT STOLEN AC UNITS
Residents are upset air conditioners are
taken to be sold for scrap metal, a summer
trend in the U.S.
Articles:
Rising A/C Unit Thefts Inspire New Hardware
by Angela D. Harris
October 30, 2006
Inventor Seeks to Deter Crime and Help Customers
Indoor home comfort has moved from a desire to a necessity as the environment
has evolved. Purchasing one home comfort system, however, can be a stretch to
many incomes. Replacing a stolen system can be almost a financial impossibility.
Joe Wojtowicz, a Majestic Heating & Cooling service technician, has created a
device to keep home comfort where it belongs — at home.
NUTS AND BOLTS
Based in Detroit, Majestic customers had experienced a rash of a/c thefts this past
summer, and they continue to experience them as the weather turns cool. Wanting
to help, Wojtowicz went to work. His resulting invention, currently patent pending,
has been on the market for less than two months.
The AC Watchdog is an audible alarm located inside the building. The alarm attaches
to the unit and measures the refrigerant level. If the level drops below a certain point,
the alarm sounds. Richard Taylor, a retired autoworker from Detroit, had an alarm
installed for his unit.
Many alarm companies offer a motion sensor that triggers a floodlight. The AC Watchdog,
however, is an audible alarm located inside the building that makes a loud screeching
noise, alerting owners of potential danger and thieves. “I heard on the news there had
been a lot of thefts,” commented Taylor.
“I didn’t want my unit to be so easy to steal.”
His alarm box is in the basement. Taylor is able to turn the siren off at any time, but the thief
is unable to disengage or stop the siren from the outside.
“It’s loud,” commented Taylor.
“It makes me a little more at ease knowing that my unit is protected.”
“It makes a loud screeching kind of noise,” said Kathy Forrest, an inspector for Martin
Universal Design, Detroit. “I’m glad I purchased it. My a/c is new and I would like to keep
it for a few years.”
The AC Watchdog requires no maintenance or upkeep, and there is no monthly service
fee for the unit to remain active. The function of the alarm is not dependent on any other
alarm system. It installs in about 30 minutes to one hour. Majestic offers a one-year warranty
on the alarm, and it is repairable.
“There is nothing hard about it,” said Wojtowicz. “It is a very simple device.”
SEEING A NEED
The owner is able to turn the AC Watchdog Alarm System’s siren off at any time, but the
thief is unable to disengage or stop the siren from the outside, thus deterring the consequences of copper removal. “I came up with this idea because I am right in the heart of all these thefts,” said Wojtowicz. “Majestic was replacing a lot of units that were stolen or damaged beyond repair and I wanted to protect my customers.” Wojtowicz called alarm companies to assist his customers in protecting their investments. The few companies he talked to were only able to offer a motion sensor that triggers a floodlight.
It is difficult for anyone who has something stolen to experience the hassle and expense of
replacement. Wojtowicz recounted multiple stories of elderly people on fixed incomes who
cried when he told them the cost to repair or replace their damaged units.
“I felt awful about it,” remembered Wojtowicz. “Most of them were on fixed incomes and
couldn’t afford to fix the unit, but they had to have it to stay healthy, especially with
this summer’s heat.
“It is a tearjerker to see people crying because they can’t afford to replace the necessity they
could barely afford in the first place.”
Dr. Jeffery Eisman of Eisman Chiropractic, Detroit, doesn’t own an AC Watch Dog Alarm
System, but after his multiple losses, he considered one.
An errant contractor placed the first unit, stolen this spring, in the open. Shortly after, thieves
meticulously cut the wires, replaced the wire nuts on every wire end that was left, and then
took the entire unit. Eisman, concerned about insurance premiums, absorbed the cost and
placed the new unit behind a locked and fenced-in area on the roof. Soon after these
improvements, thieves came, cut the lock, destroyed the fence, and stole the two units inside. This time he made an insurance claim, however, the insurance company would only cover the units, leaving Eisman to absorb the cost of a new theft deterrent.
To protect the new units, “I am considering poisonous plants, deadly lizards, and a crocodile,” said Eisman in frustration.
Because his building is commercial, and not residential, he is investigating tying in the
AC Watchdog Alarm System with his current whole-building alarm system.
“I like the idea of the system,” said Eisman. “My building, however, is right next to an apartment complex and there is no one here at night to turn the alarm off.”
DUAL PURPOSE
Wojtowicz’s invention is not merely a theft deterrent; it also works as a refrigeration monitor.
As mentioned before, when the refrigerant is lower than a fixed setting, the alarm sounds.
Low refrigerant reads don’t just happen when somebody is trying to steal the unit, it also
happens when maintenance or repair is needed. In this case, the customer is able to turn
the alarm off and call for repair.
“This doesn’t just benefit the customer,” said Wojtowicz. “It can be a value add for the contractor and possibly a deal closer.”
Wojtowicz is currently promoting the device in multiple markets.
“There are so many avenues where this item can be put into practice,” noted Wojtowicz.
His theory is that wherever there is an a/c unit, there is a need for an AC Watchdog Alarm System.
“It gives me the comfort of a home alarm,” said Forrest. “I know it’s there and I know my unit is there.”
Air conditioner anti-theft alarm uses custom sensor
Jul 12, 2007 2:45 PM By Mark Valentine, Technical Editor, RF Design
Combating the rapid increase in the theft of air conditioner (A/C) units for the precious metals they contain, a low-cost device from AC Watchdog protects A/Cs through multiple alarm options triggered by tampering. The key to the affordabilty, according to inventor Joseph Wojtowicz, is the use of a customized pressure sensor that directly monitors the pressure of the A/C’s refrigerant.
According to Wojtowicz, an HVAC technician, the device aims primarily to protect victims of this theft who cannot afford to replace their A/Cs. The device also has the potential to reduce insurance premiums and preclude the need for expensive security surveillance.
Wojtowicz states the pressure sensor is based on a resistance-changing element. Though the part was custom designed for the AC Watchdog device, its unique configuration reduces the total cost of the system. The patent for the technology is pending, and replications of the technology based on off-the-shelf sensors will probably not have the same cost advantage, according to Wojtowicz.
The most effective alarm mode for the system has proven to be conventional dialing to a predefined number, in addition to the audio alarm that sounds at the facility when the device detects tampering with the A/C. Other options, such as battery backup, interfacing to exisiting security-system trigger channels, and wireless notification are also available. However, the wireless option introduces additional expenses and is not anticipated to be the first choice of the target clients for the device.
"I saw their frustration when they [A/C theft victims] realized they had to replace their A/C unit with a new one. Many people cannot afford to replace an expensive item such as this on a whim. Some are elderly people, families with children, people who must have an air conditioner at all times during hot weather," states Wojtowicz.
Wojtowicz, motivated by the frequency of such experiences with A/C-theft victims, constructed the first working prototype in his garage. He then optimized the analog circuit design with the low-cost custom resistive pressure sensor.
Given the recent heat wave that has afflicted much of the continental United States, this technology indirectly provides the additional capability of protecting those who are particularly vulnerable to hot weather. Wojtowicz is working with HVAC contractors and technicians around the United States to be able to provide AC Watchdog protection to everyone. The unit must be installed by a technician, so Wojtowicz is using online resources as an outreach method to find dependable contractors in every area.
