Thieves steal air conditioners from University in Palermo, jeopardizing ten years of scientific research.

Last Updated: May 22, 2024

Palermo, i ladri rubano i condizionatori dell'Università e compromettono dieci anni di ricerche scientifiche

Thieves stole eleven external units of air conditioners at the University of Palermo. The theft took place in Tukory Street at the Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience, and Diagnostics. During the night, the machines were taken away, causing disruptions to medical and educational activities. Another theft attempt was made in Divisi Street at the Department of Biology and Genetics. Here, two more external units were dismantled, but left in the gardens. Reports have been made to the police. The military has acquired images from the surveillance cameras to identify the perpetrators of the theft.

“To recover old iron and some copper cables inside the external units of the air conditioners – comments with bitterness Giuseppe Ferraro, director of the Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience, and Advanced Diagnostics – they have jeopardized research that has been ongoing for over 10 years.” It is a heavy blow for the department. An immeasurable damage. In his department, in Tukory Street, the thieves took away the machines and cut the wires, cutting off the power to powerful refrigerators where samples from years of research were stored. “Unfortunately, it is a heavy blow,” adds Ferraro. The theft was carried out at night on a very busy street, also because behind it there is the nightlife of Ballarò, which continues until late at night. To carry out the theft, we saw from the surveillance system that the thieves moved the cameras up and were able to act undisturbed. Previously, in the pathology department, three machines had been stolen. Two tried to take away two more machines on Divisi Street, and abandoned them in the garden.

“But the damage was done nonetheless. With the thefts of these days, the blow was significant, not only for the value of the facilities but because research was compromised. There is security that was mandated by the University, but not on Saturdays and Sundays. Precisely on Saturday and Sunday around one in the morning, the cameras were moved up,” concludes.