Enough to really pi$$ you off...

[bobfowler]

Last night, someone stole about 1/4 tank (10 gallons) of gas from my Suburban. I discovered it when I went out to my car this morning (parked on the street in front of the house) and found the gas door open and the cap hanging by it's strap. I had filled the tank Saturday afternoon, and when I got home last night, my gauge was at 3/4. When I put the key in and started up this morning, it read 1/2. At $4.00+ a gallon, 10 gallons is a considerable sum.

I hadn't given a thought about locking gas caps since the 1970's, I guess it's time to find one again...

[crowldawg]

Before you put a locking cap on the TV ,have you thought about a little surprisein case they come back? ie some strong linament that would burn if he tried to rub it of .A mouse trap inside the cap . a video camera . Let your imagination run wild

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by bobfowler

Last night, someone stole about 1/4 tank (10 gallons) of gas from my Suburban. I discovered it when I went out to my car this morning (parked on the street in front of the house) and found the gas door open and the cap hanging by it's strap. I had filled the tank Saturday afternoon, and when I got home last night, my gauge was at 3/4. When I put the key in and started up this morning, it read 1/2. At $4.00+ a gallon, 10 gallons is a considerable sum.

I hadn't given a thought about locking gas caps since the 1970's, I guess it's time to find one again...

You can also add a sign to the gas tank filler neck door.

CAUTION. CAUTION.

There are two hand grenades attached to the gas filler door. They must be disarmed, BEFORE opening the gas filler door.

Seriously, if your tow vehicle has a built in alarm system, you can add the security of the filler door to it.

Andy

[Westfalia]

Seriously, why don't the american manufacturers think that having a non locking filler door is a good idea? My VW has one, as does my wife's Volvo. Guess it's time to get a locking gas cap for the Dodge.

[rickandsandi]

Originally Posted by Westfalia

Seriously, why don't the american manufacturers think that having a non locking filler door is a good idea? My VW has one, as does my wife's Volvo. Guess it's time to get a locking gas cap for the Dodge.

Chris- as good as an idea it sounds, the locking covers on todays cars, our Passat included is not to stop people from getting into your tank but to be sure the door does not open while driving. What it does do is cause $450 + of body damage when they put a pry bar on it and it pops right open!

[Westfalia]

Thats a good point. It the same reason and rationale that I use for NOT locking my trailer in my driveway. It's cheaper to replace the stolen stuff than get the door repaired.

Maybe I need to rig up a .410 shotgun full of rock salt to the gas flap.

[clancy_boy]

Ya'll can over engineer anything you want about the gas door, it won't stop the crook.

After Katrina a new technique was used, an ice pick (some dumb ones use a cordless drill) and kitty litter tray. They just punch a hole in the tank and get what they can in the tray. What ever runs out when the tray is poured into a gas can or they get chased away spills on the ground. Quicker than a siphon.

[AZ-JH]

Replacing a punctured tank will cost a few hundred bucks. Glad we have a garage to park in, because it may get a whole lot worse out there.

[Jim Clark]

Originally Posted by clancy_boy

Ya'll can over engineer anything you want about the gas door, it won't stop the crook.

After Katrina a new technique was used, an ice pick (some dumb ones use a cordless drill) and kitty litter tray. They just punch a hole in the tank and get what they can in the tray. What ever runs out when the tray is poured into a gas can or they get chased away spills on the ground. Quicker than a siphon.

Gas thieves should all get Darwin awards. For Katrina we parked my wife’s Explore next to my mother-in-laws Toyota at her home and evacuated. Upon return we found the locking gas door on the Toyota pried open and the unlocked door on the Explore not even touched. The two cars were side by side with the Toyota gas door on the driver side and the Explorer on the passenger side, not 4 feet apart.

[LHall]

A few years ago I had gas siphoned from my F-150 in a parking lot. I came out to find both tank doors open and the caps were hanging. Needless to say they did not get very much which was obvious by the huge pool of stomach contents on the ground. I took great pleasure in knowing that it was a painful event for that person.

[airbassador]

Originally Posted by Jim Clark

Gas thieves should all get Darwin awards. For Katrina we parked my wife’s Explore next to my mother-in-laws Toyota at her home and evacuated. Upon return we found the locking gas door on the Toyota pried open and the unlocked door on the Explore not even touched. The two cars were side by side with the Toyota gas door on the driver side and the Explorer on the passenger side, not 4 feet apart.

The thieves were Toyota owners and were afraid of cross-contamination...

[FreshAir]

How about the fella in Florida that managed to get access to a service station pump. He gave away about 100 gallons to whoever pulled their cars up then he left. It was caught on security camera. Then the service station owner says he will raise the price to make up for his loss! REALLY!
Neil

[bedfords]

Originally Posted by rickandsandi

Chris- as good as an idea it sounds, the locking covers on todays cars, our Passat included is not to stop people from getting into your tank but to be sure the door does not open while driving. What it does do is cause $450 + of body damage when they put a pry bar on it and it pops right open!

Rick -I hate to hear that as I think of mine setting outside.

Chris -Good point leaving the door unlocked.

[razorback]

Originally Posted by Westfalia

........Maybe I need to rig up a .410 shotgun full of rock salt to the gas flap.

Or maybe a 10 ga with double ought!!!!

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by Westfalia

Seriously, why don't the american manufacturers think that having a non locking filler door is a good idea? My VW has one, as does my wife's Volvo. Guess it's time to get a locking gas cap for the Dodge.

Because gas is too cheap, here, to be bothered stealing it.



Oh, wait--

guess that ain't true, anymore.


well...it was when they decided to make the cars that way...

[crispyboy]

I was listening to an automotive guy on the radio the other day talk about locking gas caps. If you have a late model vehicle you need to purchase the locking cap from the car manufacturer. Apparently the late model cars go through emissions test while you drive down the road that checks the integrity of the gas cap via a vacuum. An aftermarket locking gas cap will cause the computer to throw a check engine code because they do not seal properly.

[henw]

A crew here had a hose line on an extendable arm. Siphon pump and tank in their car. Pull up next to a vehicle and siphon it dry.

Now, just wait until the same thieves strip the copper from you AC.

[85MH325]

Twenty years ago I had saddle tanks on my F250 SuperCab Ford with locking caps. We left for a week with the truck parked inside a locked gate, fenced yard and came back to find that they'd removed the rubber connecting hose at the tank, slipped their own over it, and siphoned all but about 5 gals that way. Crooks are ingenious.

Roger

[vajeep]

I have tried to siphon gas out of our 2005 Suburban and was not successful. When I asked my dealer what was up he said that the roll over protection that protects from gas spills in a roll over make it impossible to siphon. But with a 37.5 gal tank I had better install a security system...

[Inland RV Center, In]

Best I remember, about 15 years or so, someone tried to siphon gas out of a brand X motorhome, as reported in a newspaper.

Unfortunately, they put the hose in the black water tank flush out filler neck.

They must have left in a hurray, because the hose they used, was left behind.

HOORAY. Bad guy "0" Good guys "1".

But wait. There are coarse screens that you can get at auto parts stores that you insert into the filler neck. Stops that problem, quickly.

But leave it to some of those enterprising grammer school "almost" graduates, they don't mess with the gas filler neck.

Instead, they get under the vehicle, especially trucks, with 5 gallon cans, and simply punch a hole in the bottom of the fuel tank. That with a little funnel, and your in business. No hoses needed.



Andy