AC units stolen from apartment complex

HOUSTON People at the Amir Apartments off West Gulf Bank near Antoine say it's just the latest in a string of AC thefts at the complex.

On the surveillance video given to us by the owner of the Amir Apartments, you can see what appears to be at least two men systematically stealing AC units.

"They are professional, I tell you that. They know they're on the camera. They didn't care. They slapped the camera," said A.J. Sultan, owner of the Amir Apartments.

You can see that briefly in the upper right corner of the screen. The men used what look like bolt cutters to sever the power lines to the units, then carried each to a truck waiting nearby. About 17 or 18 units in all were ripped off Tuesday night, according to the owner of the apartment complex.

"I'm angry. I'm frustrated," said Sultan.

He is also amazed at how quickly the thieves were able to boost the units -- less than two minutes, in the case of one of the units.

Sultan says this is the not the first AC theft here. He counts 44 units stolen in the last few months, presumably for the copper inside. He notes that this time, though, each of the apartments targeted was unoccupied. Each is being renovated. No one lives there, so at least this time no one is suffering here in this without AC, except those in the office.

Some tenants, though, worry about what's next.

"I think they're gonna take mine now," said tenant Lucy Olson.

It's hard not to be worried about that when so many have been ripped off around you.