Thieves targeting backyard pool equipment
Las Vegas, NV - A new warning for people in neighborhoods throughout Las Vegas - thieves are getting into backyards, and getting away with some valuable equipment.
"They will cut all the PVC piping that runs all the water lines," says realtor, Joe Stewart. "Particularly at foreclosed homes. They just come in with a hacksaw, and cut it all off. You have a heater that has a copper core, or a metal core that is valuable for scrap. You have the pumps, they're great for resale."
As the thieves profit from the stolen parts, the home loses value.
"As a buyer, that means more cost," Stewart says.
Not to mention, less peace of mind. "It makes you feel like the place isn't secure," says Gary Keck, who's been looking to buy a new home with a pool for about two months now. "It doesn't make you feel safe when you see the home has been robbed before you even move in."
Keck says at least six of the homes he's looked at so far, have had pool equipment missing. "That's almost the first thing I look for now. I check if the pool stuff has been stolen."
Metro confirms there's been an increase in stolen pool pumps and parts. Especially at vacant homes in the northwest valley. Detectives monitor Craigslist and other websites, to try and track down the equipment.
Gary has started doing the same. "One listing said they had 8 used pumps. It said instead of paying $400, you can get one from us for 100 bucks. It's pretty obvious something fishy is going on."
Police say it's a tough crime to get to the bottom of, because unlabeled pool equipment is hard to trace. They also say one of the problems is that many of these foreclosed properties don't have backyard gates that lock. Thieves can pull up as if they're interested buyers, or handymen doing repair work.
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