Thieves Siphoning Gas Across U.S.
You ever siphon gas? I did, once. There were girls involved, so naturally I HAD to meet them. Big problem, no gas. I called a buddy who came over with a can & hose. He had siphoning down to an art, showed me how, and I tried it. Thought I was gonna die! Didn't smoke for a week for fear I'd ignite myself into a flaming torch. I never did make it out to meet the girls, but I did learn a good lesson.
Bobby Fox has allegedly found a way around high gas prices: steal it.
The Hickory County thief was caught with a hose in his mouth and carrying a bucket siphoning gas from a pickup truck, police in North Carolina.
The area has seen its share of gas theft in recent weeks, including gas siphoning at a U-Haul facility in the neighborhood. The case is unsolved.
Fox was caught red-handed in a separate incident siphoning gas out of one vehicle and when approached by an officer he fled on foot, police said. His motive? “I guess he needed the gas."
The Hickory County thefts are a part of the current trend of gas siphoning crooks across the United States who are skipping trips to the pump, preferring instead to take gas from the cars of neighbors or businesses as gas prices top $4 a gallon in some places.
“It’s not mystery. It’s like copper theft and other precious metals,” says Patrick DeHaan, a senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com. “It’s becoming more appealing for criminals to siphon gasoline and diesel.”
In the last few weeks gas thieves have grown brazen, with thieves bypassing gas tank locks by drilling holes in the tanks or the more dangerous method of cutting gas lines. At times, they are walking off, or driving off, with hundreds of gallons of gas.
Booby Fox is suspected of stealing about $3,500 worth of gas from local businesses over the past couple weeks.
Authorities are telling residents to place vehicles inside a garage or make sure you get it up close to the house and have your outside lights on to keep gas thieves away.
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