As fuel prices continue to cause pain at the pump, some criminals are resorting to drilling into tanks to steal gasoline. It’s just one of many different techniques thieves are using to obtain the expensive fluid. Here’s an idea of how you can protect your vehicle and what could be $100 or more worth of fuel in your tank.

Modern vehicles have a number of anti-siphoning technologies that help to deter the practice. Among them are fuel doors that lock when the vehicle is locked, check valves that won’t allow fuel to come up the tube, or screens that prevent a hose from reaching down into the tank itself. That’s what has driven many criminals towards the destructive behavior of drilling straight into the tank itself.

Not only can they gain access rather quickly, but the flow rate of the fuel out of the tank and into a portable container is much faster than typical siphons. For owners, replacing a fuel tank could cost thousands of dollars depending on the make and model of the vehicle in question.

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This problem isn’t just happening in the USA either. Canada has experienced a similar wave of crime. As Elk Valley Royal Canadian Mounted Police Constable Debra A. Katerenchuk told CNN, “The surging gas prices is one thing, but the cost to replace the gas tank is a lot more.”

How to protect your car from gas thieves

Regardless of how a criminal might try to access your fuel, there are a number of things that police are suggesting to reduce the likelihood that you fall victim to this crime. “There are several ways to attempt to deter thieves,” said the Lake Orion Police Department in a social media posting. “Attempting to make it harder may be the only way to not become a victim of this type of theft.”

The propose, first and foremost, to lock your vehicle when you’re away. Many new vehicles will lock the fuel door at the same time. Add a locking gas cap if your car allows for it, for extra security. However, given that some thieves are known to cut filler lines and drill holes in the gas tank, the police department advises owners to park in well-lit areas and with your fuel door as well as the rear of your vehicle in view of cameras whenever possible. And finally, avoid parking in dark places if possible.

  • Always lock your car
  • Consider investing in a locking fuel cap
  • Try to park in well-lit areas, if possible, near a surveillance camera
  • Avoid parking in dark places and / or leaving your car in the same spot for extended periods of time