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Elderly Woman Dies From Heat After A/C Theft

79-year-old reported it missing two days before death

By Tim Karan,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 5, 2011 4:23 PM CDT

(Newser) – Somebody took a lot more than just an air conditioner from an elderly Texas woman. Two days after the 79-year-old reported her $2,500 unit stolen from the back of her home, she died of heat exhaustion, reports the Christian Post. It was the fourth time she had had her A/C unit stolen.

The timing of the latest theft was unfortunately during the hottest month in the history of the state. Air conditioner theft apparently is a booming business in her Dallas-area neighborhood. "You don't have to walk inside pawn shops to ask 'em if they have them," says a neighbor. "You drive by it and they're sitting right up front; central air conditioning units and window units."

An elderly Texas woman died of heat exhaustion two days after her air conditioner was stolen.
An elderly Texas woman died of heat exhaustion two days after her air conditioner was stolen.   (Shutterstock)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
flameforjustice
Aug 6, 2011 5:52 PM CDT
When you have 4 stolen already somebody should have helped the elder with security for the air conditioning unit. Weather can bring on tragedies.
carson
Aug 5, 2011 10:11 PM CDT
i guess some pawn stores are honest...but i have bought my own tools back from them after they were stolen from a jobsite...the only reason i would ever enter a pawn shop is to look for my own property...they just profit from other peoples misery
JoeQ
Aug 5, 2011 4:51 PM CDT
Texas must not have a pawn shop fingerprinting law.
 

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