Thieves steal air conditioners from Ariz. church

[July 09, 2011]  MESA, Ariz. (AP) -- Parishioners at a suburban Phoenix church had to sweat through a service after thieves stole two of the church's three air conditioners.

Authorities say the units weighed 5 tons each.

Pastor Tommy Foster tells The Arizona Republic that the theft from Mesa's Harmony Community Baptist Church happened sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

The church's third unit did little to cool the building Sunday, which saw temperatures around 100 degrees at midday. Parishioners had to try and stay cool at Sunday services by fanning themselves with Bibles and morning programs.

Mesa police say air conditioner thieves typically will tear up the units and sell off copper parts and compressors, sometimes selling the parts over the Internet.

[Associated Press]

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