Gas Theft - What to do about it

[MrClean]

Well.... been an interesting read through this thread to say the least. And everyone has different opinions.... preventive... defensive... offensive.... etc. That's what makes it great! A thief is a thief. If reasonable measures have been taken to prevent and someone still makes the choice to break the law, so be it. I'm not sure elsewhere, but even the 'sic the dog on them' theory is apt to land you in court.
As for kids.... the earlier they learn the better. In the last 3 weeks we have had TWO pull out a BBGun (one that is the spittin image of a 1911 and the other a 92F) while out. They were within a second or two of being shot when they finally dropped the weapon. There have also been other 'kids' carted off in handcuffs for the real deal. It tears at me that the kids of America have come to this point. Do I blame the kids? No. I blame the parents in the majority of cases. But you can't afford to just cut them loose due to any circumstances.
Solution? Each has to make his or her own choice. Hmmm.... if the thief is willing to risk going to jail.... they just MIGHT have a weapon that when confronted you'd have to defend against. Or.... they MIGHT trip and fall while running... spilling gas everywhere and then a small spark MIGHT set the whole thing off. Maybe a car tag will be grabbed and phoned to local authorities, or sugar-water stolen (hope they don't get vengeful on you!).

The courts aren't what they use to be. Good Luck with whatever decision you make. And thanks for all the good reads.

[SilentHitz]

You're welcome...baldy

[SPUSCG]

i remember hearing someone talk about being shot with rocksalt out of a shotgun

[cschwanz]

if i ever hear or find someone trying to steal my gas, im grabing my paintball marker and heading for the front door. 100% non lethal yet can create quite a sting if you are not accostomed to feeling the hit. something about a gelatin capsule travling at 300 fps some ppl dont like. Plus, if they jump in a car, put a few on the back window and then call the cops. itll be easy for them to identify the culprits.

[Stevie-Ray]

i remember hearing someone talk about being shot with rocksalt out of a shotgun

My mother once got her ass pelted with rocksalt for tipping over an outhouse. She was quite a brat, I guess, and had a sister and four brothers that were the same. I guess that was the Upper Peninsula's 30s version of stealing hubcaps or something. Not much to steal on tractors and horses and crap.

[BillCA]

if i ever hear or find someone trying to steal my gas, im grabing my paintball marker and heading for the front door. 100% non lethal yet can create quite a sting if you are not accostomed to feeling the hit. something about a gelatin capsule travling at 300 fps some ppl dont like.

They sting more if you freeze 'em first.

[MrClean]

if i ever hear or find someone trying to steal my gas, im grabing my paintball marker and heading for the front door. 100% non lethal yet can create quite a sting if you are not accostomed to feeling the hit. something about a gelatin capsule travling at 300 fps some ppl dont like.

Makes it pretty easy and tell-tale for Police to identify him too!

LE: "Can you identify him?"

You: "Sure I can, about 6', maybe around 200 lbs... baggy shorts with a white wife beater on.... left in a small white compact 4 door car, first part of tag is HGC. Oh.... and he'll have a big arse splatter of pink paint all over his neck area and a large whelp to go along with it."

[hoytinak]

i remember hearing someone talk about being shot with rocksalt out of a shotgun

Yep, stings like a....well, you know. When I was in highschool we used to party out in the country on someboby else's land. Well the farmer found us one day and just started shooting. I got hit in the back as I was climbing into my Blazer. I didn't know it was rocksalt till I got to the hospital. Now, I'm one of the one with land out here, but I don't carry rocksalt in my shotguns. But then again, I'm got gonna go shooting a bunch of kids just for partying out in the fields.

[Ozarkian]

My motorhome carries 234 gallons of diesel fuel, and a tractor that holds around 40 gallons of diesel, too. I have a 500, 150 and 100 gallon tanks of propane then there is a car, a jeep and two ATVs. Fuels thieves? I'm gonna just shoot, shovel and shut up.

I also have more than 150 acres of property and access to several hundred other acres.

[HKFan9]

Get an attack dog and chain him to the car at night, ofcourse with enough cable for him to bite a thief in the A$$ when he sees what the noise in the dark is

[johnwilliamson062]

I would imagine almost all the people on this forum make more than $10 an hour equivalent. So even after taxes a tank of gas is less than two days work, even for most trucks. Most of you probably make more like $20 an hour. You are going to shoot someone because they waste two or less days of work. If you are seriously saying yes I think you need to reconsider if you should own weapons. If I took a shot at everyone who's thoughtlessness, selfishness, or irresponsibility cost me 16 hours of work I would be short on family, friends, and neighbors. Get a lock and call the police.
Putting a gas can out with something that will maul a cars engine sounds like a great idea to me though. Gas is lighter than sugar water so it will stay on the top and should smell like gas and work well, although I have heard sugar does not really work. I know it failed on mythbusters. anyone know what will work? Maybe they did it wrong?

[nstoolman1]

I won't say how but there is a way to defeat a locking gas cap. I can have it off faster than you can use the key. The only way car, gas thieves are going to be deterred is to treat them the same way horse thieves were treated in the old west. A horse was considered valuable because it was a way a man made a living. Yes, they were only $25.00 but that was a months wage. Today many people use their cars and trucks for work and they cost far more than a horse did. Add in all the extra insurance we pay to cover the thefts that occur and it gets very costly. I know it will never happen so don't get excited but society (us) need to push for stiffer penalties that actually get inforced. Make it painful or costly enough and thieves will learn. My generation learned at a very early age to fear the law and respect our parents and authority. We need more parents today to apply a few more disciplinary swats to the rear ends of the kids today. They have no fear of consequences for their actions. Sorry about the rant.

[Stevie-Ray]

We need more parents today to apply a few more disciplinary swats to the rear ends of the kids today. They have no fear of consequences for their actions. Sorry about the rant.

It's not a rant, it's simple truth. I've heard it said that we are raising a generation of terrorists. From what I see today, with a few exceptions, that's exactly right. Kids today have no conscience.

[obxned]

In the light of my high powered flahlight, the 6" of hose protruding from the goblin's hand might easily be mistaken for a gun. Or said goblin might be getting ready to torch my car or house. I am the most peaceful type you will find, but I do not gamble on the good intentions of bad people.

Stealing is a dangerous business, and the retirement plan is a major bummer.

[BillCA]

It's late and the mind is getting "inventive".

What's needed is a pepper spray grenade. Imagine a heavy cardboard tube about the size of those "traveller" size shave cream cans with a 3 second fuse. Pull pin, release spoon, lob near subject - Boomph! A six-foot by six-foot cloud of OC blossoms from the container.

"911, what is your emergency?"
"There's a gas thief at 123 Main street who needs a ride to jail."
"Do you have him in custody?"
Nah, no need. Arriving officers will recognize him. He's the one trying to bathe in 1/2-inch of gutter water."

[Stevie-Ray]

"Do you have him in custody?"
Nah, no need. Arriving officers will recognize him. He's the one trying to bathe in 1/2-inch of gutter water."

Hehehehe

[unkle.buck]

It's not the younger ones, but their parents who train them. When I was young, about 45 years ago, I tried it. Got caught by a cop. He didn't say a word. Just stood there as I held the gas in my mouth. If I had swallowed it, he wouldn't even have known what I was doing. Yeah,right! Anyway, we became very good friends afterward. Of course, he always asked if I wanted a cigrette when I saw him! Just let the calls to 911 calm down for a few months. It will be easier to find a fuel-swallower when YOU catch him. Might even become good friends!

[unkle.buck]

Syphon's on sale at Wal-Mart!! Really!!