They say desperate times call for desperate measures, and thieves in the United States seem to fully agree with this pearl of wisdom.
The police in Everett, Washington have warned that thieves are turning to a crazy new method to steal gas from cars on the street: they drill holes right in the tank and then wait for the fuel to drain.
In other words, they have pretty much given up on the old way of siphoning the gas, mostly because it’s a lot more efficient to use a power tool and quickly drill a hole in the tank.
At the same time, any vehicle parked on the street could be a target, and thieves would no longer have to waste any time finding a way to remove the fuel cap and insert a hose in the tank. Most of them probably use battery-powered tools that need just a few seconds to drill a hole, after which they use bottles or other recipients to collect the fuel.
The Everett police claim it’s all because of the skyrocketing gas prices, and the only way to protect your car against this new trend is to park it in a garage. If this isn’t possible, make sure the vehicle is sitting in a well-lit area where it’d be harder for a thief to escape unnoticed.
Needless to say, law enforcement tells anyone to call 911 not only when they hear or see suspicious activity but also if they notice their tanks have been damaged.
It goes without saying the costs of repairing a gas tank that has a hole in it are much higher than getting a full refill. Given the skyrocketing gas prices, however, this may no longer be valid for too long.
Earlier this week, Washington residents had to pay, on average, $4.54 per gallon, while gas prices in Nevada reached a record $4.62 per gallon. For comparison, the prices have almost doubled in just one year, as U.S. drivers had to pay on average just a bit shy of $2.50 per gallon in early 2021.
In other words, they have pretty much given up on the old way of siphoning the gas, mostly because it’s a lot more efficient to use a power tool and quickly drill a hole in the tank.
At the same time, any vehicle parked on the street could be a target, and thieves would no longer have to waste any time finding a way to remove the fuel cap and insert a hose in the tank. Most of them probably use battery-powered tools that need just a few seconds to drill a hole, after which they use bottles or other recipients to collect the fuel.
The Everett police claim it’s all because of the skyrocketing gas prices, and the only way to protect your car against this new trend is to park it in a garage. If this isn’t possible, make sure the vehicle is sitting in a well-lit area where it’d be harder for a thief to escape unnoticed.
Needless to say, law enforcement tells anyone to call 911 not only when they hear or see suspicious activity but also if they notice their tanks have been damaged.
It goes without saying the costs of repairing a gas tank that has a hole in it are much higher than getting a full refill. Given the skyrocketing gas prices, however, this may no longer be valid for too long.
Earlier this week, Washington residents had to pay, on average, $4.54 per gallon, while gas prices in Nevada reached a record $4.62 per gallon. For comparison, the prices have almost doubled in just one year, as U.S. drivers had to pay on average just a bit shy of $2.50 per gallon in early 2021.