Gas Thieves Drilling Into Fuel Tanks

[kahlistrophic]

DETROIT (May 29) - Dale Fortin is getting a new kind of customer at his Detroit auto repair shop, customers who have not just been in a fender-bender or had a windshield smashed by a rock.

The soaring price of crude oil has turned gas tanks into a cache of valuable booty, and Fortin has replaced several tanks punctured or drilled by thieves thirsting for the nearly $4-a-gallon fuel inside.

"That's the new fad," he said. "I'd never seen it before gas got up this high."

While gas station drive-offs and siphoning are far more common methods of stealing gas, reports of tank and line puncturing are starting to trickle into police departments and repair shops across the country.

Some veteran mechanics and law enforcement officers say it's an unwelcome return of a crime they first saw during the Middle East oil embargo of the early 1970s.

Gasoline prices surged just before the long Memorial Day holiday weekend and crept a hair higher overnight Monday to a new record national average $3.937 for a gallon of regular, according to a survey of stations by AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.


http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/gas-thieves-drilling-into-fuel-tanks/20080529112809990001?icid=100214839x1203102324x120 0125153

[kyoru]

really not surprised, and there isn't much we can do, except drop our cars lower :)

[BustedS13]

my dad had the tank of his le mans drilled back in the 70's, this isn't a new thing.. fucking thieves, at least use a siphon if you're going to be a dickhole.

[ESmorz]

my dad had the tank of his le mans drilled back in the 70's, this isn't a new thing.. fucking thieves, at least use a siphon if you're going to be a dickhole.

But then you gotta get the gas in your mouth and that shits ridiculous son.

[BustedS13]

But then you gotta get the gas in your mouth and that shits ridiculous son.

you could get the handpump d00d.

here, harbor freight has a five dollar gas thief kit

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93290

[lflkajfj12123]

its not like back in the 70's when you could just open the gas lid and stick some shit in there

almost all cars since the 90's have a latch to unlock the gas lid

i'm sure they'd rather siphon than drill a hole but its the only choice

and quite frankly its probably a lot easier with all the SUV's rolling around and you're under the car rather than standing along side it :barf:after the gas hits your mouth

[BustedS13]

its not like back in the 70's when you could just open the gas lid and stick some shit in there

almost all cars since the 90's have a latch to unlock the gas lid

i'm sure they'd rather siphon than drill a hole but its the only choice

and quite frankly its probably a lot easier with all the SUV's rolling around and you're under the car rather than standing along side it :barf:after the gas hits your mouth


not all cars have a fuel door latch. my volvo didn't and it was a '95
and besides, most of them don't lock (the volvo locked the gas door but most don't), you can open a gas door with a quarter or a screwdriver

[lflkajfj12123]

you're such a thief :kiss:

i did say ALMOST

new cars have locks yahhh! :tweak:

[Howard92884]

its not like back in the 70's when you could just open the gas lid and stick some shit in there

almost all cars since the 90's have a latch to unlock the gas lid

i'm sure they'd rather siphon than drill a hole but its the only choice

and quite frankly its probably a lot easier with all the SUV's rolling around and you're under the car rather than standing along side it :barf:after the gas hits your mouth
Prybar fixes that. It makes me wonder though, if they are using a cordless drill like a dewalt, if anyone has caught on fire from trying to steal gas. Ever see sparks in the little air vents on the back of the drill? Or even if its a metal gas tank, there is a possibility of spark. Thieves aren't very smart.

Edit: 500th post!

[98s14inaz]

Prybar fixes that. It makes me wonder though, if they are using a cordless drill like a dewalt, if anyone has caught on fire from trying to steal gas. Ever see sparks in the little air vents on the back of the drill? Or even if its a metal gas tank, there is a possibility of spark. Thieves aren't very smart.

Edit: 500th post!

Yes. Some retarded kid in Arizona tried using a wet dry vac and caught himself on fire iirc. FAIL.

[BustedS13]

Prybar fixes that. It makes me wonder though, if they are using a cordless drill like a dewalt, if anyone has caught on fire from trying to steal gas. Ever see sparks in the little air vents on the back of the drill? Or even if its a metal gas tank, there is a possibility of spark. Thieves aren't very smart.

Edit: 500th post!

mythbusters time, i'm not sure that that'd be hot enough to ignite gas, especially if you're drilling into liquid at the bottom of the tank. if you were drilling above the fill level and were drilling into fumes, i could see it going up.

[LB.Motoring]

mythbusters time, i'm not sure that that'd be hot enough to ignite gas, especially if you're drilling into liquid at the bottom of the tank. if you were drilling above the fill level and were drilling into fumes, i could see it going up.

Ingenuity,


You wins.

[S13_Nightkid]

i guess thats the new fad. Got a problem with a guy? Go siphon the bitch's gas. Take that douchebag! haha

[lflkajfj12123]

mythbusters time, i'm not sure that that'd be hot enough to ignite gas, especially if you're drilling into liquid at the bottom of the tank. if you were drilling above the fill level and were drilling into fumes, i could see it going up.


no need to speculate

almost all gas tanks are made out of some kind of plastic

no fires here

[BustedS13]

no need to speculate

almost all gas tanks are made out of some kind of plastic

no fires here

new gas tanks are plastic? wtf? i'd be a fool NOT to steal gas

[S13_Nightkid]

+1 indefinitely

[silpena]

some guys got cought here by where i live stealing gas. It said in the paper they stole over 1100$$ worth of diesel from fleet trucks. IDk how u do t hat and not get caught?

[an_orange_s2k]

its not like back in the 70's when you could just open the gas lid and stick some shit in there

almost all cars since the 90's have a latch to unlock the gas lid

i'm sure they'd rather siphon than drill a hole but its the only choice

and quite frankly its probably a lot easier with all the SUV's rolling around and you're under the car rather than standing along side it :barf:after the gas hits your mouth
i believe a lot of american cars dont have gas locks. i kno my friend's explorer doesnt and thats a big tank..

[S14DB]

S14's have a valve in the fill neck that helps keep gas from burping out and from tubes going in to siphon. I needed to drain the old gas from my S14 and ran into this. 6ft of tube in the tank and no gas...

[Matej]

i believe a lot of american cars dont have gas locks. i kno my friend's explorer doesnt and thats a big tank..
Yeah, neither does my mom's 2001 Malibu, most 90s and earlier 2000s American cars don't.

When I was living in a dorm people had their gas siphoned all the time, especially suv's haha, my roommate drove an Explorer and his fuel was stolen on two different occasions.

[gabe30]

"nearly $4-a-gallon"


... its at $4.25 for 87 octane here..

[Andrew Bohan]

4.29 here. we're always above the national average.

they should just report california prices so we feel "normal" and everyone else feels relieved they don't have it as bad as us.

[lflkajfj12123]

[Yeah, neither does my mom's 2001 Malibu, most 90s and earlier 2000s American cars don't.

When I was living in a dorm people had their gas siphoned all the time, especially suv's haha, my roommate drove an Explorer and his fuel was stolen on two different occasions.

lol damn that sucks! i guess i was wrong my family has only owned imports

4.29 here. we're always above the national average.

they should just report california prices so we feel "normal" and everyone else feels relieved they don't have it as bad as us.this is your tax for having sunshine all year round bastards

[mRclARK1]

I'm surprised it took this long for it to happen. If I was a person of lesser morals I would have been doing this loooooonnnnng ago.

[BustedS13]

4.29 here. we're always above the national average.

they should just report california prices so we feel "normal" and everyone else feels relieved they don't have it as bad as us.


whenever local news talks about gas they always cap it off with "but in california, you'd be paying this! ha ha ha!"

[oscarsx]

made out of plastic?
and here i was to scared to drill out my gas from my old crashed s13 thinking it would spark and i would die in my very own backyard lol :bite:

[lflkajfj12123]

haha yeahh

even if it was metal though

its the gas vapors that are more likely to ignite rather than fuel

[aziankingz]

next up..alternate day people can get gas..

[BustedS13]

made out of plastic?
and here i was to scared to drill out my gas from my old crashed s13 thinking it would spark and i would die in my very own backyard lol :bite:

no, the 240's tank is metal.

[lflkajfj12123]

lets test it

[Matej]

http://onemansblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/Welding_a_Gas_Tank.jpg

[Andrew Bohan]

this is your tax for having sunshine all year round bastards

psh
it felt like seattle this winter it was so rainy
and it's been "sunny" for the last month, but accompanied by alaska wind.
inside your car it'd be 150º but as soon as you get out it's time for a winter coat and beanie.

[aNskY]

my 2001 jeep has no fuel door latch...

[ESmorz]

inside your car it'd be 150º but as soon as you get out it's time for a winter coat and beanie.

Seriously what's up with that. It's a nice cool day and I'm enjoying the weather, then I get in my car and I'm sweating balls.

Sun, if you're gonna shine, shine. Make it hot don't tease me like that.

:hammer:

[oscarsx]

lets test it

you can test it for me, and let me know how it goes!!!

:angel:

[thejapino]

Go ahead, drill into my gas tank thinking your gonna come up on 17-18 gals. of gas. You will get NOTHING!!!! Haha

Think about the guys drilling into gas tanks and < a gallon comes out. Its like pulling up the crabnet, you never know!

[lflkajfj12123]

follow them home after they fill up

problem solved!

[PITCH]

Happen to the place my friend works at. 10 of the work trucks his company owns all had the tanks drilled and drained. Cost the owners upwards of $10K to fix.:wtc:

[trsilvias13]

If someone drill into my s14, they most likely leave with 2 to 3 gallon tops. My tanks more than likely reads close to E. Im broke. Sorry theives.

[S14DB]

no, the 240's tank is metal.

S13 is metal, S14 is Plastic.

[BustedS13]

Go ahead, drill into my gas tank thinking your gonna come up on 17-18 gals. of gas. You will get NOTHING!!!! Haha

Think about the guys drilling into gas tanks and < a gallon comes out. Its like pulling up the crabnet, you never know!

you get points for a deadliest catch reference

if it were me i'd just target newer SUV's. nice ones that have to have a good gas supply to get the kids to soccer practice and then get mom to the liquor store.

[blasting_speed]

you could get the handpump d00d.

here, harbor freight has a five dollar gas thief kit

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93290

Damn i thought i'd seen everything.

[Farzam]

Noone I know steals gas

They just steal gas gift cards

[Matej]

Do lawnmowers run on the same type of gas as cars?
I just siphoned gas out of our lawnmower into my car.

[rossfashow]

newer cars also have a screen a few inches after the neck to prevent siphoning. too bad for the newer sports cars that want to siphon their gas out and use race gas and vice versa they cant cause of the screen.

[BustedS13]

Do lawnmowers run on the same type of gas as cars?
I just siphoned gas out of our lawnmower into my car.

uh. if it's a riding, more than likely. if it's a push, it might have oil added to the gas.

[jskateborders]

some guys got cought here by where i live stealing gas. It said in the paper they stole over 1100$$ worth of diesel from fleet trucks. IDk how u do t hat and not get caught? you dont. they got caught

[renegade_ewok]

But then you gotta get the gas in your mouth and that shits ridiculous son.
No different than gumming up some yay.

If someone does this to my car I'm gonna be pissed...

[CusCo_S14]

really not surprised, and there isn't much we can do, except drop our cars lower :)

lower the cars and get a aluminum plate to cover the bottom of the gas tank. so when they start drillin the metal starts to grind..

[steve shadows]

Ingenuity,


You wins.

why not just use an ice pick and just jame the bitch

quieter and faster

[singlecamslam]

^Sounds like a plan.

[BustedS13]

why not just use an ice pick and just jame the bitch

quieter and faster

battery powered dremel maybe? that'd be relatively quiet



LET'S STEALING GAS!!

[swiftdrift]

With all this effort, might as well get a job and buy your own damn gas.

Good thing I'm always on E!! (and I'm not talking bout ecstasy)

:naughty:

[handinpants]

i'd expect more people doing this with diesel. there was this kid in my highschool, he got caught he had this tank in the back of his truck, and some electric fuel pump, he would go up to bigrigs in the middle of the night and steal their gas in minutes... though one day he did it during the day he got caught

[S13_Nightkid]

With all this effort, might as well get a job and buy your own damn gas.

Good thing I'm always on E!! (and I'm not talking bout ecstasy)

:naughty:

stealing gas is easierr mannn

[SILEIGHTY_DET]

im a mechanic for a large corp , and we have issues with punctured tanks and stolen cats . i can definately see how someone could do this and not get caught . all the vehicles are left un gaurded all night , with only a little fence to cut a hole in at a lot of industrial areas . not much you can do to stop it around here except hire security patroll . but that might be more costly to the companies then to replace the parts and gas . i saw a guy that punctured a hole in a tank , but i wasnt going to do anything . if they are dumb and desperate enough to steal gas , then they might just be dumb enough to cary a gun and end my life over a gallon of gas .

[rossfashow]

they should just use electric fence

[SR2Zero]

http://onemansblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/Welding_a_Gas_Tank.jpg

Holy hell. What an idiot.

[Matej]

Here's an instructional video on how to properly steal gas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp3Sl9VUcN0

You wouldn't believe how many of them there is on Youtube.