Peoria police are dealing with a trend they have dubbed “urban mining.”
Police said Thursday thieves are resorting to extreme measures to obtain metal throughout the city and that involves crooks stealing air-conditioning units and copper wiring and plumbing from vacant homes or strip malls.
Over the past six weeks, police said they have taken more than 30 reports (44 air-conditioning units stolen).
According to authorities, some of the indicators of this type of illegal activity are:
• Seeing workers removing plumbing, ripping out wiring, taking more out of a home than taking in.
• People working late at night or early morning on vacant homes.
• Electrical wiring is not normally gutted from a home.
• Thieves may have a work truck or van without a business name on the side.
• No Dumpster outside for trash, carpeting, cabinets for the remodel.
Police ask those who see suspicious activity to call 623-773-8311.
