Car owners from Pennsylvania, California, and other states have reported instances of theft by criminals drilling into their gas tanks in order to drain and steal the gas, according to automotive news website Jalopnik.
One woman in Pennsylvania told a local ABC News affiliate that gas was stolen from her car while it was outside her house, and similar reports have emerged in other states across the country. Jalopnik notes that high-riding cars and trucks, like crossovers and SUVs, are more susceptible to fuel tank drilling because they have more space underneath for criminals to work.
"With gas prices creeping up to new record highs daily here in Southern California, the Auto Club wanted to warn drivers there is the possibility that people are looking for crimes of opportunity ... [and] gasoline for their own vehicles," Doug Shupe of the American Automobile Association told the Los Angeles Times.
In 2008, when gas prices rose above $4 per gallon, ABC News reported on a similar spate of fuel tank drilling, which law enforcement warns is dangerous.
"What made this particular method so dangerous and concerning for us was the way in which they were doing it — using cordless drills to puncture holes in these tanks," Denver Police Det. John White said at the time. "The heat, friction generated could have easily sparked a fire. It just made for a dangerous situation for the suspects and the community."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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