11 Alive News Interviews Martin Hoover

ATLANTA R-22 THEFTS

11 Alive News interviewed Martin Hoover, owner of Empire Heating & Air Conditioning of Decatur, GA, on Tuesday, March 5, 2013 about the growing trend of R-22 theft.  In this particular case, Atlanta homeowner catches teenagers inhaling his air conditioning unit’s R-22 to get high. Martin said his company (Empire) does not get many calls like this, but said R-22 theft does seem to be a growing trend. Most of the calls begin with people thinking they have a leak. After you do a leak search, you don’t find a leak, you charge it up and then next week you get another call, you can start making that assumption.

According to 11 Alive News, companies are now making special caps to go over air conditioner valves, removable only with a key. The locking cap was designed to prevent this type of theft from occurring.