BRAINTREE, Mass. — “Highest price I’ve ever seen with a tank filled. Just within a week it’s jumped up to $4.30 now. It’s unbelievable,” said Joe Debettencourt of Quincy. He hasn’t visited the gas pump for a week and he was stunned. He’s not alone.
Police across the country are warning people that gas thieves are targeting cars to steal gas because of sky high prices.
Police say they will use a syphon it if possible but newer cars make it harder to syphon gas — so, thieves drill for it instead.
“I’ve heard of drilling on the bottom and if you do it on the bottom it’s a very quick emptying of the gas tank,” said John Coveney of Liberty Street Automotive Services in Quincy.
And it takes less than a minute and police across the country are seeing it.
“We’ve seen just a handful of gas tanks being drilled out then siphoned through a hole rather than a hose,” said Officer Kerby Duncan of the Everett Washington Police Department.
To prevent gas thefts AAA suggests parking in a well-lit area or in a garage.
“I can park my car in the garage at work so I may do that more now hearing about that.”
Other tips include:
- Buying a locking gas cap
- Parking your car so it faces a busy road, making it less likely to be tampered with
- AAA suggests carpooling to keep your car safe at home/ save on gas
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