PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) – A Southeast Portland sewing shop is without heat after thieves stole two HVAC units from its roof early Friday morning. Part of the crime was caught on camera.
Since the fall, five HVAC units have been stolen from the roof of Montavilla Sewing Centers’ location at Southeast 84th Avenue and Stark Street.
After the first two thefts in September and October, Brett Moore, president of Montavilla Sewing Centers, said he installed rooftop surveillance cameras and security fencing around the units.
“I thought, ‘We can put security up here and cage these things up just to deter them’ and we still get hit,” Moore said. “What’s next?”
On Friday, it happened again and this time, the security footage proved useful.
Video spanning from just after 1 a.m. to almost 8 a.m. shows two to three people carrying out the crime. Suspects can be seen climbing onto the roof using a ladder, then throwing heavy HVAC parts down to the street.
The video captures the suspects loading the parts into the trunk of a white Lexus sedan. There’s even a closer look at the driver’s face.
Around the 3:17 a.m. mark, a Portland Police patrol car drives past the building, seemingly unaware the crime is happening just overhead.
By 7:43 a.m., in broad daylight, the suspects call for a jump after the car’s battery dies. Minutes later, the car is seen leaving, packed with stolen parts.
The sewing business isn’t alone.
The Montavilla East Tabor Business Association says seven other businesses have reported HVAC thefts in the last four months. A representative said in some cases, suspects have been caught.
Portland Police, who are actively investigating these thefts, say they cannot confirm whether the same suspects are responsible in each case.
Moore believes the thieves are after copper found inside the units.
Each HVAC unit is worth about $25,000, putting the business out well over $100,000.
The building does not have any heat right now, and Moore says they probably won’t for a while due to order and installation delays.
He worries if temperatures drop below 40 degrees, the shop may have to close its doors.
“It’s important that we get these guys,” Moore said. “It’s really hard to do business right now in Portland. I just want to sell sewing machines and help people sew. I don’t want to sit here replacing HVAC units and filing police reports. That takes the joy out of business.”
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