In the face of the oil hike, law enforcement officers from the state of Washington warned the public to be wary of gas thieves.
The Everett Police Department in Renton, Washington cautioned residents on a Facebook post on Monday about vehicular gas thieves. The department also advised ways on how to avoid them.
"With the sharp and fast rise of price at the gas pumps we are seeing an increase in gas theft. While some thieves use rubber hoses to siphon fuel out, we are seeing modern day thieves use power tools to drill a hole in the gas tank and steal fuel," the Everett Police said.
"The cost of damage to the gas tank far exceeds that of the gasoline and we recommend that you park your vehicle in a garage or well-lit and high traveled area to help deter would-be thieves," they added.
The Everett Police instructed that the public should immediately report any suspicious activity they hear or see near their vehicle. The department also counseled victims of gas theft not to drive their vehicles. They stressed that driving with a damaged gas tank is unsafe and it would be better to report the matter to 911.
In addition, the police department also posted photos of a gas tank that have been victimized by thieves. The photos showed a hole drilled into gas tanks through the use of a handheld drilling machine.
A netizen by the name of Josh Pernell commented on the post of the Everett Police and suggested an alternative to those who do not have a garage or a well-lit area to park their vehicles at. Pernell said attaching a camera to the rearview mirror of their car helps for it records the movement and sound within and the immediate vicinity of their vehicle.
Pernell identified a battery-operated camera as a suitable one to use, one which can be plugged into the cigarette lighter charger or USB ports so that it will still operate when the vehicle is not in use. He shared that a friend of his installed such a camera in his car and watched recordings of it on his phone.
According to Pernell, this helped his friend secure his car during a time he lived in a sketchy area. He concluded by suggesting the use of signs or stickers to be placed in the vehicle's windows. He said signs that say, "Smile you're on camera," or "You're being watched" would scare thieves away.
CBN News reported that a gallon of gas has risen to $4.33 in the United States as an aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Experts predicted that fulel prices would continue to rise along with the anxiety of Americans about it. CBN News highlighted that gas thieves are the "signs of the times," since it is experienced not only in Washington but across the country.
As per WVEC News, Virginia Beach's Rajesh Sriraman was shocked to discover his newly-filled gas tank was empty the next day. Sriraman told WVEC News that he suspected thieves siphoned the gas from his car overnight.
The Atlanta Police Department imprisoned a man early this month for stealing gas from a vehicle after puncturing its gas tank. The Atlanta Police disclosed in a press release that the man used a tool to drill a hole in the gas tank, which in turn caused the victim to spend thousands of dollars for the repair.
A similar incident happened in Los Angeles, prompting AAA's Dough Shupe to say that thieves are pushing owners to face the only option of replacing the entire gas tank, which is truly expensive.
