Thank you. I just got back in from 90 minutes of hunting and pulled in some decent stuff I'll post on soon.
I know the feeling all too well. A lot of the electronics or appliances I don't take (can't part out) have had their cords cut by either these fools, or the building maintenance guys who are complying with the city recycling rules (respectable). There's one old guy who walks around and just snips the wires to strip for the copper, and leaves the rest ruined (worth exponentially more of course as you said). Whenever I see him out, I get in front of him and make sure I get to anything before him.