Anyone siphoning gas in your area yet?

[Deja Q]

http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S10700.html?cat=1

High gas prices may be the cause of a series of gas thefts in the west metro. Several business owners in Medina reported that more than a thousand gallons of gas have been stolen, costing them thousands of dollars.

The first night one business owner installed surveillance cameras, he caught thieves siphoning approximately 400 gallons of gas from his fleet of rental trucks. The theft is so frequent the thieves have worn a path through the woods leading to one industrial center’s parking lots, police say.

Another business owner, Tim Olson, checks the gas caps on his racing vehicles almost everyday. If the caps are loose, he knows he has been robbed. “It’s frustrating. It’s been going on for eight to nine months now,” he says.

In just the last two months, over 1,200 gallons have been stolen, and at an average of $2.75 per gallon, the value equals a loss of $3,400.

Article has more, of course.

Gas cap, low-riding vehicles kept in a garage are for the best right now.

[eleny]

1. My car is out in the driveway so we got a locking gas cap

And we have a light on the front of the house that goes on via a motion detector. Every little bit helps.

I hear some newer models are equipped so gas can't be siphoned from the tank. Don't know which models. But a woman at the gas station filling up beside me said hers is like that. Wish I had paid attention. But I was having problems getting my new gas cap off. Oh, the irony!

[mcscajun]

2. Shades of the early 70s -- we'll be buying locking gas caps again

soon.

Very soon, I think.

[Inland]

4. I"ve been thinking that, which depresses me.

One, that I have to lock up my gasoline, and second, that we are going back to the seventies as far as gasoline and crime are concerned.

[cynatnite]

3. Hubby had over 100 gallons siphoned out of his semi a month ago

This was a few weeks ago. We also have a locking gas cap, but that's only because I lost the other one a few weeks ago :eyes:

[NYC]

5. During the last gasoline shortage,

(approx. 1979) didn't people start using locking gas caps?

Did that change?

[mcscajun]

8. We started doing that during the First shortage in the early 70s

and kept them until we sold the car.

Some folks did do that again during the late 70s also.

[NYC]

12. Then what happened?

People gave them up? Didn't think it was necessary anymore? (Obviously, I'm not a car owner.)

[mcscajun]

13. Yup...it seemed silly *(and it was an inconvenience)* to keep the

gas caps on when there was no more rationing and prices were down.

So exactly -- we didn't think it was necessary anymore...and it hasn't been necessary in the last 25 years. :sigh:

[NYC]

14. On the bright side,

people don't steal gas when the prices are low. I would have expected it to become a habit, even after the prices dropped again. Maybe it's too much trouble unless prices are high.

Also, I would suspect organized crime is involved in this.

[Mr_Spock]

6. Man, you are reminding me of the gas shortage in the late 70's

Um, not that I know anything about syphoning gas :D

[BlueJac]

7. Shit I swear I saw GW sucking on a hose in my neighborhood!

Maybe he was just sucking period!

[mcscajun]

9. Just a little history...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4894964

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. I Can Remember When Kids Huffed Gas In The 70's

What a nasty habit....

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

11. How about moving it?

I saw in a magazine some time back when someone tricked out there tail-light. I think it was a Bel-air?


I looked it up...57 Bel Air
"One neat exterior trick was the way the fuel cap had been hidden. It was in the fin above the left taillight. "

[RebelOne]

15. I have a burgler alarm on my car,

so if anyone even so much as touches it, the lights will flash, the horn will go off and an alarm will sound.

[arkie dem]

16. Both my Toyotas have locking filler doors,

my wifes Chevy doesn't. I tried to syphon gas from her ride and couldn't get a 1/2" dia tube into the tank past the filler neck. I guess I'm going to have to break down and pay for it myself.