Crime - Theft of heat pumps on the rise
The energy transition is also leading to an increase in the installation of heat pumps in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt - but the expensive appliances are also increasingly attractive to thieves. The devices are often stolen from construction sites or new buildings, as a spokesperson for the Saxony-Anhalt State Criminal Police Office (LKA) told the German Press Agency when asked. In the previous year, 15 thefts of heat pumps were registered. Nine in the first half of this year. The amount of damage was in the lower six-figure range.
In Saxony last year, a system worth 7800 euros was stolen from a property in the district of Bautzen. This year, two cases were registered by the end of November, according to the LKA. In the district of Nordsaschen, unknown persons broke into the locked, unoccupied shell of a home and stole the already installed heat pump, piping, hydraulic unit and the outdoor unit with a total value of around 10,000 euros. In the district of Leipzig, thieves gained access to a building site secured with a construction fence and stole a heat pump weighing around 350 kilograms.
In Magdeburg alone, six cases have been registered in the last two years, emphasized an LKA spokesperson. Although it is not a mass phenomenon, an increase in cases is to be expected because there is a market for the expensive devices. However, a great deal of criminal energy is required because the perpetrators need a suitable vehicle to transport the heavy equipment.
Monitor construction sites with cameras
Crime experts advise securing construction sites as well as possible with fences and installing video and alarm systems where possible. The individual number of the devices should also be noted down. "Anchor the heat pump with iron rods in and on the concrete base with shear nuts or drive-in balls for hexagon socket screws or weld the nuts," advises the LKA Saxony spokesperson. You should also check whether the theft of a heat pump is covered by insurance.
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- The energy transition in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt has resulted in an increase in the installation of heat pumps, but these expensive appliances have also become a target for criminals.
- In the District of Saxony-Anhalt, the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) reported 15 thefts of heat pumps last year, with nine occurring in the first half of this year.
- In the District of Leipzig, thieves successfully stole a heat pump worth around 350 kilograms from a secured construction site, emphasizing the need for increased security measures.
- In Magdeburg alone, six heat pump thefts have been reported in the last two years, indicating a potential trend of increased criminal activity in this area.
- To combat this rise in heat pump thefts, crime experts suggest securing construction sites with fences, installing video and alarm systems, and considering additional security measures such as anchoring the heat pump with iron rods.
Source: www.stern.de
