LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Scott Reynolds didn’t know thieves were ripping off swimming pool equipment.
“I first became aware of it when it happened to me,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds says when he bought a home it was vacant when he visited the property.
“That heater was gone and we obviously had to work with the seller to make some concessions to get that heater put in. But that was the first time I became aware of that even being a thing,” he said.
Reynolds knows it’s still happening, as the owner of Purpose Pools.
“The phone rings a lot. We probably get two to three calls a week of people calling in where equipment’s been stolen,” he said.
Thieves take pool heaters and pumps, which circulate pool water. Reynolds says without a pump water can turn green.
“Pool pumps seem to be the new catalytic converter,” he said.
He says thieves who know what they’re doing can take them in a couple minutes just like a catalytic converter.
“You can take it to some of these shops in town that rebuild pool pumps and you can just sell that pool pump outright for 50 bucks,” he said.
He says businesses will take the pumps with no questions asked. He says a thief can sell a pump online for $300.00 to $500.00.
He says a used heater can go for between $1,500 to $2,500 online.
And just like a catalytic converter, the financial damage from a theft can be devastating for people.
Reynolds says their cheapest new pump installed is around $2,200. A new heater with a warranty may run around $7,000.
Another pool company says people need to lock their gates to prevent thieves from getting in. FOX5 is told some thieves don’t like to go over walls, especially with pool heaters because they’re so heavy.
Voice activated cameras are also recommended as a deterrent, as well as having a nosy neighbor who can keep an eye on your home if you’re gone. One pool company says vacant homes are targets. In fact, says thieves will hit once, repairs are made, and they will hit again because they know no one is home.
One insurance company says theft of pool equipment would be covered under a home insurance policy but says deductibles could run $1,000 to $2,000, or more, depending on the policy and value of the home.
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