[ColossalContrarian]

As others have pointed out, paying after fueling is of times past… so now we have pay at the pump scams where people put the sale on their credit card but attach a device to trick the pump into not knowing how much it’s pumping. The only way to get around this would be having someone pump the fuel for customers like they have in Oregon –for safety reasons of course

In my neighborhood I know of two gas stations that close at night but the pumps still work for debit and CC.

Drilling the tank as some have mentioned sounds concerning. Its one thing to steal someone’s gas but to fuck up their car is another story...

Can anyone comment on the impact of gas theft during the 70’s?

Was it common and where?

Suburbs/urban, rural?

[jdmartin]

It was somewhat common mostly because it was easy, gas tanks were huge and cars got 8 mpg. A length of hose and 5 cents of knowledge on how to get a siphon started, and you could drain a guy's gas tank in a few minutes. When gas was $1.30, equivalent to maybe $3 right now, that was serious money, especially with 11% unemployment and 17% interest rates. The locking gas caps came along right at the point that they were largely unnecessary.

As for drilling the gas tank, it depends on the car. On a big truck you can slide yourself, your drill and a container underneath, and as long as there's no shield over the tank you can drill it & drain it pretty fast, and there's a lot of gas to get. On a smaller car it makes no sense, because the tank is small, and you'd need to get the car in the air to even have enough room to drill & drain for not much reward. Thus, I wouldn't worry about it too much if you're driving something small & compact.

[Blacksmith]

Could you share how you can trick a pump, or drillout a tank without going boom.

He blows up real good.

[lawnchair]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Blacksmith', 'C')ould you share how you can trick a pump, or drillout a tank without going boom.

[Hoops_Mckann]

Here is a bit of irony for all:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080527/ap_ ... _gas_tanks

Hope there is not another thread about it. Seems as though the SUVs and Pickups that use the most fuel and require the most fuel to fill up are the primary targets.

[TWilliam]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Blacksmith', 'C')ould you share how you can trick a pump, or drillout a tank without going boom.
He blows up real good.

[buzzard]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Hoops_Mckann', 'H')ere is a bit of irony for all:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080527/ap_ ... _gas_tanks
Hope there is not another thread about it. Seems as though the SUVs and Pickups that use the most fuel and require the most fuel to fill up are the primary targets.

[Blacksmith]

I remember years ago a Canadian Tire Store in Ottawa, that burnt to the ground when a mechanic cut a muffler off with a cutting torch.

[ColossalContrarian]

Gas theft news on CNN today, from drilling holes to stealing cooking oil from restaurants which is also mentioned in the article Hoops_McKann posted.$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'G')as and diesel aren't the only fuels being plundered. Restaurants from Berkeley, Calif., to Sedgwick, Kan., are reporting thefts of old cooking oil worth thousands of dollars. Cooking oil rustlers refine it into barrels of biofuel in backyard stills. Biodiesel can also be blended with petroleum diesel, and blends of the alternative fuel are now sold at 1,400 gas stations across the country.

[Hoops_Mckann]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('buzzard', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Hoops_Mckann', 'H')ere is a bit of irony for all:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080527/ap_ ... _gas_tanks
Hope there is not another thread about it. Seems as though the SUVs and Pickups that use the most fuel and require the most fuel to fill up are the primary targets.

[buzzard]

I have to admit that this thing of thieves stealing my gas was not showing up on my radar. But, now, since I store a fair amount on the place I must make "other arrangements". Apparently gasoline thefts are on the rise.

[joewp]

Can this be the diesel theft thread too?
$3K in fuel stolen in Parsippany
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'P')olice disclosed on Friday that approximately $3,000 in diesel fuel was reportedly siphoned from the tanks of three Freightliner trucks earlier in the week.

[ColossalContrarian]

Don't see any reason why not, how do you change a thread title?

[joewp]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ColossalContrarian', 'D')on't see any reason why not, how do you change a thread title?

[ColossalContrarian]

Some news from Canada -> Manitoba man charged in $8K gas theft

Fringe benefits?

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '
')Police said the man had access to his employer's gas card and personal identification number to fill up the tanks of company vehicles.

The man allegedly used that information to fill up his own personal vehicle on numerous occasions with an estimated $8,000 worth of gasoline, police said.

[hope_full]

Fuel oil is pushing $5 a gallon. Some home heating tanks hold 550 gallons. That's $3,000 worth of fuel, and many of these tanks are stored outside. I live in an older house and our tank is in the basement and it's nearly impossible to siphon, due to a long and winding fill pipe, but I wonder what'll happen to folks with outside tanks?

[jato]

We just had an armed robbery in my area. Mexican vs. Mexican. The suspect took the migrants' wallets...

and a gas can with a gallon of gas.

[MarkJ]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('hope_full', 'F')uel oil is pushing $5 a gallon. Some home heating tanks hold 550 gallons. That's $3,000 worth of fuel, and many of these tanks are stored outside. I live in an older house and our tank is in the basement and it's nearly impossible to siphon, due to a long and winding fill pipe, but I wonder what'll happen to folks with outside tanks?