New Form of Stealing Gas Increases with Gas Prices

With quickly rising gas prices, local gas thefts are beginning to mirror the steep increase in its purchase price, said Chief of Police Michael Wiegand, Eureka Police Department.

"Our officers have taken one report for theft of gas due to drilling of holes into the tank, and another incident of (typical) gas theft was just reported," said Wiegand.

He said Jefferson County authorities have informed them of several tank drilling incidents in the Marisol subdivision, located off of Highway 109 South near Eureka.

"This destructive crime is different than the old way of siphoning gas," said Wiegand. "Most modern vehicles have an anti-syphoning system in the filler tube, so thieves have resorted to drilling holes in the mostly plastic fuel tanks. Repair bills may cost upwards of $1,000 or greater."

Police reports show nearly all gas stealing incidents take place at night and in residents' driveways, said Wiegand.

He said with this new increase in gas theft, owners should look into security lighting to fend off thieves.

"Your driveway, sidewalk or garage should be well lit. Motion sensors with lights are very effective as well. Sensors allow you to conserve energy, and scare off a criminal from your property," he said.

The truck of Melanie Cooper, a local realtor for Keller Williams Realty, was just hit with a gas tank drilling theft. Cooper said she did not know it until she went to fill up the tank at the QT station in Eureka.

"What a mess they (gas thieves) caused," she said, indicating that gas went everywhere when she started the pump.

Cooper said the Eureka Fire Protection Department was awesome in responding very quickly and got it all cleaned up. "The folks at QT knew exactly what to do...huge deal to clean all that up!"

"With the time and money it is costing me to fix the problem, I wish they had knocked on my door—I would have given them the gas money!" she said.

Beware of Resulting Safety Hazards

Local authorities indicate drilling into a gas tank obviously is dangerous and can result in a fire or explosion. Drivers are encouraged to call police immediately if they see any suspicious behavior around their vehicles, or if gas fumes or vapors are smelled in their neighborhoods.

Unknowing victims who try to fill up after their tanks have been drilled into also are at risk, if sparks at gas stations ignite the spills, especially from a passerby with a lit cigarette.

Reports of gas theft from drilling into tanks is surfacing in other states as well, with many of these types of thefts averaging 5 gallons of gas per vehicle stolen, per media reports.