By Lauren Fix
Gas prices and crime are on the rise. Car owners from New York to California and other states have reported instances of theft by criminals drilling holes into their gas tanks in order to drain and steal the gas. This is not only dangerous it leaves you holding the bill for the repair.
One woman in Pennsylvania told a local ABC News affiliate that gas was stolen from her car while it was outside her house, and similar reports have emerged in other states across the country. You would think that high-riding cars and trucks, like pick-ups and SUVs, are more susceptible to fuel tank drilling because they have more space underneath for criminals to work. But criminals will find a way and they have.
What should you look out for and what can you do?
A new trend is popping up across the country – gas thieves. This is really not that new. In 2008, when gas prices rose above $4 per gallon, a similar crime of fuel tank drilling and siphon-draining was on the rise, law enforcement warns that this is dangerous and more than just the frustration. You may not even know you are a victim until a later date.
What makes this particular method so dangerous and concerning is the way in which criminals are doing it — using cordless drills to puncture holes in these tanks. This creates heat and the friction generated could easily spark a fire. The fumes are what burn with a simple spark. It is a dangerous situation for the suspects and a potential explosion of your automobile.
Imagine walking out to your car after a long day at work only to realize your vehicle is mysteriously out of gas. Then, adding insult to injury, you add the gallon of gas at the gas station for $4/gallon or more and notice the gas you just paid for is leaking onto the pavement beneath your vehicle because someone decided to drill a hole in your gas tank and steal your fuel. The cost to you as the victim is a bill of approximately $1,000+ to replace their gas tank, plus the gas that was stolen, which could easily equal $100.
What can you do to protect your vehicle and the fuel?
Obviously, parking your car in a locked garage, if you have one, is the best solution. A driveway camera and floodlights are options that are meant to deter would-be thieves from stealing gas from your tank. These are low cost and you would get a notification on your phone and then contact the police. You can park in a well-lit area with high foot traffic or a fenced-in lot or parking garage, if available. When parking in a garage, owners should be mindful to park near the exit or elevator, areas with high visibility and foot traffic.
Signs that your fuel tank may have been tampered with include the smell of gasoline, a puddle under your vehicle, or a lit check engine light. AAA recommends that anyone who suspects their gas was stolen file a police report and contact their vehicle insurance company to check if the repairs are covered.
The Bottom Line
The risk of having your gas tank drilled to steal gasoline isn’t just in New York, California or other large cities, it is happening across the country. Last week, police in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia arrested a man suspected of drilling holes in multiple fuel tanks to steal thousands of dollars of gasoline. Park your vehicles in a way that blocks access to the fuel tanks. This defensive parking technique gives you one more layer of protection, which will hopefully deter fuel thieves from stealing your gas.
When parking in mall lots, at work or any store lot, parking far out may be great for the exercise but it could be perfect for thieves to drain you tank.
There is so much more to discuss on this, put your comments below and let’s start the conversation.
Lauren Fix, The Car Coach®, is a nationally recognized automotive expert, analyst, author, and television host. A trusted car expert, Lauren provides an insider’s perspective on a wide range of automotive topics and aspects, energy, industry, consumer news, and safety issues.
Lauren is the CEO of Automotive Aspects and the Editor-in-Chief of Car Coach Reports, a global automotive news outlet. She is an automotive contributor to national and local television news shows, including Fox News, Fox Business, CNN International, The Weather Channel, Inside Edition, Local Now News, Community Digital News, and more. Lauren also co-hosts a regular show on ABC.com with Paul Brian called “His Turn – Her Turn” and hosts regular radio segments on USA Radio – DayBreak.
Lauren is honored to be inducted into the Women’s Transportation Hall of Fame and a Board Member of the Buffalo Motorcar Museum and Juror / President for the North American Car, Utility & Truck of the Year Awards.
Check her out on Twitter and Instagram @LaurenFix.
