Gas Theft - What to do about it

[GoSlash27]

silenthitz,
I think your response is more emotional than practical. If you're willing to jeopardize two lives over $100 (even if you can't afford it), I say your priorities are whacked.

[SilentHitz]

Say what you want, you're entitled to your opinion...just like me.

Personally, I'm tired of seeing the criminals given all the consideration, and the law abiding people just have to eat the loss.

Used to be they got a few years for grand theft auto for stealing your vehicle...now they get a slap on the wrist for joy-riding.

I grew up when you could not only protect your life, but also the property you worked hard for...now everyone expects you to just let the low lifes have whatever they want...and people wonder why there's so much theft.

[Mikeyboy]

Guys, we are looking at this all wrong. You confront a guy stealing your gas. He has a filled 5 gallon container, a hose dripping with fuel, and is reaking of gas. You can't shoot him, you can't pepper spray him, you can't even hit him, so what is your only option.



Seriously though, if your in that situation, and your unarmed, a $1 bic lighter should make most gas thieves back off.

[ZeSpectre]

Someone stole several jerry cans from the neighbor's house. We're assuming that they -thought- they were stealing gasoline

Wish we could be there when they tried to use it since what they actually took was about 15 gallons of a special liquid fertilizer. (the neighbor runs a landscaping biz).

Still it's caused me to start locking all my cans up along with the mower and lawn tractor <sigh>.

Wish I could come up with a decent plan in case the crooks try to come back to our neighborhood.

[alfred]

I keep a can of special USED gas/solvent mix in a spot obvious in daylight when I am through with it.I sure hope no one keeps stealing it again,and again and again.The cans are getting expensive,but if someone is putting it in their gas tank,they have no more need for gas.I use it for completely legal uses and had it ready for proper disposal.I have it labeled."Do not use with out permission".Perhaps they cannot read in the dark or cannot read English.I don't have to worry about disposable and I don't have to report it stolen.I have no complaints as it does not last long enough to dissolve the plastic gas can as it will with time.Alfred

[hoytinak]

It happens around here too so we got the locking gas caps on all our vehicles. But they didn't help any, about a week later we had the lines cut on both our tanks on our truck, they got away with about 60 gallons of diesel.

[rgoers]

Sounds like a large, under-fed dog would be the best option.

I have to admit that it would be REAL hard for me to NOT beat the cr@p out of a fuel thief - if I caught him in the act. The problem today is: the criminal has more rights (and the favor of the courts) than the victims. America is in a sad, sorry, state.

[SilentHitz]

The problem today is: the criminal has more rights (and the favor of the courts) than the victims.

Amen to that...

[obxned]

The dogs need a new chew-toy.

[TheNatureBoy]

Let him have the gas. Call the authorities and let them handle it. If he is driving a car/truck get plate number and description of vehicle. I 'm not crazy about the idea of anyone stealing my gas but I have to ask myself if beating the you know what outta him is worth what it would cost me in legal and medical fees.

[HankB]

The original poster is in Silicon Valley, CA, so his options of dealing with a night-time theft have been severely curtailed by legislators that identify - on some level - with the criminals.

Texas is different.

[BillCA]

Yes, California, land of fruits and nuts.

I figure the purpose of a firearm is to defend myself against a sneak-thief who is likely armed with a sharp knife and/or a cordless drill. I'm considering braided fuel lines at this point, just to make it tougher.

As others have said, the sentiment in many jurisdictions, especially California, is that one should not harm a "mere thief" for stealing. Nevermind that his theft might force you or your children to skip meals. Or that his theft of fuel might prevent you from getting a loved one to a hospital. Oh, no... all he's doing is stealing and at that, he's only stealing property, so no one's life is in danger. :barf:

We would have much less theft if police and DA's were more interested in stopping crime than generating arrest & conviction statistics.

[Deaf Smith]

Well, I sort of wait till dark, scope out someone without a gascap lock on their car, shinny on the ground up to the car with a very thin hose and gas can.....

Wait... you mean if someone is stealing MY gas? Why how dare they! The low-life thieves! Why I'd.....

Look, the gas is maybe worth 50 bucks in your tank. Take the same action you would if they were stealing 50 bucks. That might mean calling the cops, and even following them home while on the cell phone talking to 911.

Plug them for 50 bucks? I wouldn't. I might stand in the way of their car while I called cops and if they tried to run me over then I'd have to defend myself, but no, I don't blast people for that.

[BillCA]

Look, the gas is maybe worth 50 bucks in your tank.

Sorry bub. I just filled up my truck's tank from near empty. It cost me $102.05 and for that they didn't even provide oxygen so I could catch my breath again. That's just a standard pickup truck tank. I'd be in real hurt if I was filling up auxillary tanks too!

A few years ago there was a story about some redneck who tried to use a hose to siphon gas out of an RV parked in front of a neighbor's home. The owner saw the guy sneaking around it and called police. When cops arrived the suspect was on the ground, vomiting and choking. Seems he stuck the hose into the opening for the holding (sewage) tank and sucked hard.... The vehicle owner declined to press charges, saying that the thief had gotten punishment enough. The cops thanked the owner for the best night's entertainment they'd had in months.

[SilentHitz]

Look, the gas is maybe worth 50 bucks in your tank.

You must have a very small tank. I have a 35 gallon tank...multiply that by 4 bucks. $140 ain't chump change to me.

Like BillCA said above, if you need that vehicle for an emergency...it's more than just gas. I'm glad a few people here see the bigger picture...it's not just the gas.

[CPTMurdoc30]

A buddy of mine had 2 1500 gal fuel tankers stolen for a job site. Found the trucks the next day drained empty nothing wrong with them at all. they even wiped down the fuel hose and cleaned up their mess. HUH and gass theft is not on the rise?

Many people are calling AAA for gas trying to get 2 to 5 gals for FREE....

[Socrates]

Seriously a motion sensor car alarm will scare them off.

The South Africans have also come up with an anti-car jacking device that shoots like a flame thrower from under the passengers side....

[velocette]

Something no-one has mentioned. When that b---- Wilma came through here two years ago, I had 40 gallons of fuel stockpiled for my portable genset. When that was running low after over a week with no power, I attempted to siphon fuel from my wifes Benz and then from my Toyota. In both cases, the fill pipe had something in it to block the ability to insert a fuel line hose far enough to siphon out any fuel. I then (with permission of course.) attempted to remove fuel from some of my neighbors cars. All the same, blocked.
The only car I was successful in draining was my old Jaguar. Its 54 years old and had nothing to block the hose.
Your results may vary of course.
Perhaps a sharp center punch and a high mounted tank with ground clearance may work.

Roger

[unkle.buck]

I find the comments on special mixes truely amazing. I keep a gallon or two around for fire ants( which is probably more illegal than shooting someone) to reduce their spread. Actually, it is now cheaper to use proper commercial ant poison. My dad taught me to put sugar in the gas can, the ants go for it! It seems the theives around her all run those little suped up ' rice burners ' and they would have to replace a very expensive motor. Just make sure it is not 'want-to-be gang banger. There is no telling how far the war will go. R.I.P. could be your epitath.

[teeroux]

Sick the dog on em.

[BillCA]

As if stealing fuel isn't bad enough, with the cost of platinum so high now, thieves are using portable cutters to cut the catalytic converters out of cars for the platinum.

That'd suck to jump in your truck, turn the key and see someone siphoned 98% of your fuel away, then turn the key and hear that they'd also ripped off your catalytic coverter.

[Johannes_Paulsen]

At the risk of turning the conversation away from an entertaining path involving bic lighters and Afrikaaner flamethrowers, what was wrong with the idea of buying a locking gas cap?

[Rembrandt]

Been happening all over the country. Truckers and campers are the most vulnerable when they pull into rest areas.....a truck parks along side, thieves run an air line and siphon hose to the truck beside them and when you wake up your tanks dry. The air line pressurizes the tank and forces the fuel through the siphon hose and into the truck parked beside you.

Locking gas caps only prevent the stupid from getting fuel. Several businesses have reported their pickups have had the tanks punctured and drained....about $1000 to replace the fuel tank not counting the contents.

[az_arno]

By all means take reasonable precautions against theft. Maybe it's time to clean out the garage and park in it? Enclose the carport? Install a motion sensor? By all means keep a shotgun loaded with rocksalt by the door. A 12ga racking in the dark is a terrifying sound.

[sw_florida]

If you see a clown steal gas call the cops. It takes time for a tank to drain. If the clown jogs away you can turn on your flame thrower.