Thieves caused an estimated $35,000 damage Thursday evening when they dismantled the air conditioning unit at the Ceres American Legion Memorial Building in an attempt to steal metal parts.

Deputy Police Chief Mike Borges said the thieves did not appear to have removed any metal, theorizing that they may have been spooked away. The damage they caused was serious, however.

The city was scrambling to repair the unit Friday since there was an event booked there for the weekend and temperatures are expected to climb between 104 and 108 degrees.