Thieves steal copper from air conditioners at 2 small businesses in Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood

By Jermont Terry

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    CHICAGO, Illinois (WBBM) — CBS News Chicago viewers reached out recently, asking why a couple of businesses in the Beverly neighborhood were closed.

It turned out they were recently targeted by thieves.

Ohana Ice & Treats would typically be busy on a summer night, but the doors there were locked Thursday night—as it was one of the two businesses that were targeted.

“This is our peak time,” said owner Keynn Cain. “This is when we make the money that sustains us throughout the year.”

Two weeks ago, thieves decided to steal the copper from the outside air conditioning unit at the ice cream shop.

“It’s cost us about $45,000 in revenue, in inventory, in replacement cost,” Cain said. “We’re trying to get back on track and recover from that.”

The Black-owned shop has operated at the corner of 103rd and Wood streets for six years. But when thieves damaged the AC unit, the heat spilled over to inside.

“It was smoking in here,” Cain said. “The ice cream had completely melted inside the freezers.”

When the freezers stopped, the water damaged the wood floors.

“So now you see the floors have wrapped as a result,” Cain said.

Ohana Ice & Treats is not the only business impacted by the copper thieves.

Just next door at 1802 W. 103rd St., Allison Papara operates Made: An Artisan Collaborative, which showcases Chicagoland artistry.

“Currently, we have 43 different artists,” Papara said.

Since the theft, the shop has been more like a sauna with no air conditioning. Papara has been forced to close up early many days—and handmade items have even been damaged.

“Like candles and soaps, and making some of the paper like warp a little bit,” she said.

Papara estimates damages and lost revenue at close to $20,000.

“They probably made what, $30 off of copper?” she said.

“It just made me sad that someone was that desperate to feel like that’s what they had to do,” added Cain.

The new outdoor air conditioning units for the businesses are mounted high above. Meanwhile, the community created a GoFundMe for each business to bounce back.

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