As the price of gas continues to rise to historic levels, police across the nation are warning of an uptick in gas thefts as some criminals are resorting to desperate measures to get their hands on that "liquid gold."
From coast to coast, reports of gas siphoning have skyrocketed in recent weeks. While some criminals stick to targeting personal vehicles with an old-fashioned siphon, others are crawling under cars to reach the source directly.
"This is a sign of the times you know," AAA's Doug Shupe told FOX 11. "It's thieves looking for ways that they can make money by stealing what is becoming an increasingly more expensive and valuable commodity, gasoline."
In California, a thief broke into a Sacramento County parking lot and used a power tool to drill holes in the gas tanks of nine vehicles to steal fuel, CBS Sacramento reported.
In Wisconsin, a car dealership was targeted in the same way.
"When I saw how they did it by drilling a hole in the tank, then I was a little more miffed at how that had happened," Gross Auto Group owner Mike Gross told WEAU-TV. "We've had a lot of things stolen over the years, lot of crazy things... but I've never had anybody drill a hole under a gas tank in order to steal gas."
Gross estimated that the damage cause by drilling into a gas tank will cost about $1,500 to repair.
In Houston, some crooks took gas theft to a new level when they targeted a gas station, getting away with about a half-tank of fuel, according to FOX 26. The station owners said the thieves, who were later arrested, used a small rubber object to manipulate the pulser at the pump.
In Georgia, a suspect was taken into custody in Atlanta after he allegedly drilled holes in multiple fuel tanks to steal thousands of dollars of gas, FOX 5 reported. In Washington State, police issued a warning about thieves using power tools to do the same.
Law enforcement in several cities have suggested that drivers buy locking gas caps for their vehicles.
Another way to deter theft that doesn't cost anything involves being strategic about where you park. Police suggest parking in a visible, well-lit area or in outer-perimeter parking spots for increased visibility from passersby. You should also avoid parking in public places for extended periods of time, and park inside your garage whenever possible, police added.
The average national gas price on Friday was $4.33 per gallon, according to AAA. California has the highest average at $5.72, followed by Nevada at $4.92, Hawaii at $4.84, Oregon at $4.72, and Washington at $4.72. Kansas has the cheapest average at $3.82.
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