Well This is New - Gas Thieve Edition (1 Viewer)

[The General]

We were heading out of town this past weekend and would be taking the wife's car. She is doing errands, driving around town, stops to fill up, gets in the car while she sets the nozzle to fill up. A dude knocks on her window and says gas is pouring out of her car.

Lo and behold it is, shooting out the bottom of the car like one of those peeing boy statues with a powerful stream.

Gas station attendant is freaking, she is freaking, Fire Department shows up. They plug up the hole and tell us gas thieves do this when they can't syphon gas the old fashion way.

Apparently this is a thing.

 

[El Floppo]

Ugh. Do you have a sense of when/where it might have happened?

Thieve?

 

[The General]

Ugh. Do you have a sense of when/where it might have happened?

Thieve?

The wife had taken a long road trip the previous weekend as well and the car had been sitting on the street since she got back from that trip. Is parked in front of my house. I live in the city-ish. Not Ritzville but also am not in the hood either. Very bizarre to me. 

So much effort to get, at best, not a ton of gas. 

 

[SteelCurtain]

The wife had taken a long road trip the previous weekend as well and the car had been sitting on the street since she got back from that trip. Is parked in front of my house. I live in the city-ish. Not Ritzville but also am not in the hood either. Very bizarre to me. 

So much effort to get, at best, not a ton of gas. 

Wouldn’t the gas have already been emptied?  How did they drive to the gas station?

 

[The General]

Wouldn’t the gas have already been emptied?  How did they drive to the gas station?

The hole was in a spot that left at least a quarter tank of gas in the car, or thereabouts. So she was driving around town with a hole in the tank the size of a half dollar. 

 

[bostonfred]

Are you replacing the gas tank?  

 

[stlrams]

We were heading out of town this past weekend and would be taking the wife's car. She is doing errands, driving around town, stops to fill up, gets in the car while she sets the nozzle to fill up. A dude knocks on her window and says gas is pouring out of her car.

Lo and behold it is, shooting out the bottom of the car like one of those peeing boy statues with a powerful stream.

Gas station attendant is freaking, she is freaking, Fire Department shows up. They plug up the hole and tell us gas thieves do this when they can't syphon gas the old fashion way.

Apparently this is a thing.

Stealing Catalytic converters is very popular here.

 

[The General]

Are you replacing the gas tank?  

Yep.

 

[The General]

Stealing Catalytic converters is very popular here.

That sucks. Well that’s something else to look forward to. 

 

[urbanhack]

The wife had taken a long road trip the previous weekend as well and the car had been sitting on the street since she got back from that trip. Is parked in front of my house. I live in the city-ish. Not Ritzville but also am not in the hood either. Very bizarre to me. 

So much effort to get, at best, not a ton of gas. 

Weird. My street is really safe.  

 

[The General]

Weird. My street is really safe.  

A very extreme way to save 50 bucks. 

We have lived in this house for 13 years and no real issues until this. Had someone go through my car once a few years back and they took my sunglasses and some change (I had left the window down). But that’s about it.

 

[Rustoleum]

Weird. My street is really safe.  

Around here (Cincinnati/NKy), there are groups of teens specifically going into the “safe” neighborhoods, stealing unlocked cars or opening garages from those cars and stealing whatever they can get that way.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Stealing Catalytic converters is very popular here.

Yep, mine was stolen several months ago. PITA to get it replaced, and cost ~$900 before all was said and done.

 

[jimmy b]

Stealing Catalytic converters is very popular here.

Air bags are all the rage lately.

 

[Runkle]

Around here (Cincinnati/NKy), there are groups of teens specifically going into the “safe” neighborhoods, stealing unlocked cars or opening garages from those cars and stealing whatever they can get that way.

We used to have drive-by war-clickers. They'd get a garage door remote and drive around town clicking at random to see if they can get anyone's doors to open. Get one of those where it's easy to change the code channel made it more efficient to cycle through all the possibilities. Nowadays I guess it's even easier with a laptop and a transmitter.

Back in the day, two neighbors on my street accidentally set both their garages to the same frequency. Even weirder my car-alarm remote used to be the same as my high school buddy's house garage door. Every time I went over I'd accidentally open his garage when I parked.  

 

[stlrams]

Around here (Cincinnati/NKy), there are groups of teens specifically going into the “safe” neighborhoods, stealing unlocked cars or opening garages from those cars and stealing whatever they can get that way.

Yeah same here.  There are gangs of teens that go into safe neighborhoods in the middle of the night stealing cars as we relaxed laws for anyone under 18.  No jail time and they’re out In under 6 hours.  

 

[Leroy Hoard]

We used to have drive-by war-clickers. They'd get a garage door remote and drive around town clicking at random to see if they can get anyone's doors to open. Get one of those where it's easy to change the code channel made it more efficient to cycle through all the possibilities. Nowadays I guess it's even easier with a laptop and a transmitter.

Back in the day, two neighbors on my street accidentally set both their garages to the same frequency. Even weirder my car-alarm remote used to be the same as my high school buddy's house garage door. Every time I went over I'd accidentally open his garage when I parked.  

As a kid I found a garage door opener in the street while riding my bike. I road back and forth clicking away until I found the garage it went to. I never liked that neighbor (old crab), so I kept it and made sure I opened his garage door every time I rode by. Unless it was already open, then I'd close it.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

What doesn't make sense to me is that drilling a hole in the bottom of a gas tank seems like one of the worst ways to pull of such an epic heist. How do they cut the ("half dollar sized") hole? A drill with a circular bit? Thats loud AF. Some type of punch, like a center punch? Loud and messy. Either of those two options and at minimum, youre getting messy, at worst, you set the tank on fire. (Its remote, but possible). 

A rubber hose and a gas container is all you need. They have a slightly more elaborate setup with a pump at home depot for probably $10. (Its also small enough to be stolen).

 

[Ron Swanson]

What doesn't make sense to me is that drilling a hole in the bottom of a gas tank seems like one of the worst ways to pull of such an epic heist. How do they cut the ("half dollar sized") hole? A drill with a circular bit? Thats loud AF. Some type of punch, like a center punch? Loud and messy. Either of those two options and at minimum, youre getting messy, at worst, you set the tank on fire. (Its remote, but possible). 

A rubber hose and a gas container is all you need. They have a slightly more elaborate setup with a pump at home depot for probably $10. (Its also small enough to be stolen).

Same deal as catalytic converter thieves. High power Lithium Ion hand tools.  You'd be shocked at how quickly they can move. I've caught them on video stealing our cats and they are in and out in under a minute.

 

[Raging weasel]

Same deal as catalytic converter thieves. High power Lithium Ion hand tools.  You'd be shocked at how quickly they can move. I've caught them on video stealing our cats and they are in and out in under a minute.

Cat burglars are the worst!

 

[stbugs]

As a kid I found a garage door opener in the street while riding my bike. I road back and forth clicking away until I found the garage it went to. I never liked that neighbor (old crab), so I kept it and made sure I opened his garage door every time I rode by. Unless it was already open, then I'd close it.

Was that neighbor having sex with your dentist father?

 

[stbugs]

@Leroy Hoard

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0582683/

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Same deal as catalytic converter thieves. High power Lithium Ion hand tools.  You'd be shocked at how quickly they can move. I've caught them on video stealing our cats and they are in and out in under a minute.

That’s a super fancy word for battery operated. They’re still the same tools working at the same efficiency. 

Cats make sense. Snip snip and you’re out. Stealing liquid is a different animal.

Obviously I should just conclude that these are thieves and we’re not talking about rocket surgeons.  

 

[Mile High]

Yep.

https://www.jbweld.com/

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

https://www.jbweld.com

 
 yup, like a $6 repair that takes 5 minutes.

Lmao, now the fire department, insurance company and auto repair company all get involved. Possibly even a rental car. 

Insane. 
 

 

[Mile High]

 
 yup, like a $6 repair that takes 5 minutes.

Lmao, now the fire department, insurance company and auto repair company all get involved. Possibly even a rental car. 

Insane. 
 

Exactly. JB works. Fixed a hole in my gas tank and also repaired a hole in my engine that was shooting out fluid like a fire hose when it was running. 

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Exactly. JB works. Fixed a hole in my gas tank and also repaired a hole in my engine that was shooting out fluid like a fire hose when it was running. 

I used it to fix a metal banister, a cracked copper pipe (that must’ve froze over the winter,) and to hold the go cart muffler in place all within the past year. Same one stick of JB Weld.

It’s essentially metal duct tape

 

[Mile High]

It’s essentially metal duct tape

 

[Dickies]

https://www.jbweld.com/

Worst case he just doesn't fill up the tank over 1/4 full.

 

[The General]

https://www.jbweld.com/

Newish car so not going to mess with this. Just going to pay the deductible and enjoy this new fancy gas tank. Maybe show it off to the neighbors. 

 

[identikit]

Newish car so not going to mess with this. Just going to pay the deductible and enjoy this new fancy gas tank. Maybe show it off to the neighbors. 

You should have an open house/garage for all interested parties

The guilty often show up to this sort of event.

Keep your head on a swivel, gb

 

[The General]

 
 yup, like a $6 repair that takes 5 minutes.

Lmao, now the fire department, insurance company and auto repair company all get involved. Possibly even a rental car. 

Insane. 
 

I like to help the economy. I'm a jobs builder.

Those Fire Department freeloaders just showed up on their own.

 

[belljr]

Flex seal

 

[arrow1]

Flex seal

/Thread

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

I like to help the economy. I'm a jobs builder.

Those Fire Department freeloaders just showed up on their own.

Oh, it wasn’t an indictment on you, just the process. It’s sad that it’s sorta become a “How many Americans does it take to screw in a lightbulb?”- joke.

 

[The General]

Oh, it wasn’t an indictment on you, just the process. It’s sad that it’s sorta become a “How many Americans does it take to screw in a lightbulb?”- joke.

Yep. It is quite the process. Many people getting involved for a guy to get maybe 40 bucks in gas. Crazy.

 

[the moops]

 
 yup, like a $6 repair that takes 5 minutes.

Lmao, now the fire department, insurance company and auto repair company all get involved. Possibly even a rental car. 

Insane. 
 

Why is the fire department involved?

 

[Mile High]

Those Fire Department freeloaders just showed up on their own.

Why is the fire department involved?

Gasoline all over the ground around gas pumps. They spray it with a form and then clean up.

 

[belljr]

Fire departments are trained for petroleum spills up to a certain amount. Pending on the spill you can't just dump water on it.

 

[The General]

Gasoline all over the ground around gas pumps. They spray it with a form and then clean up.

Yep. Apparently the gas station attendant was freaking out so I'm guessing he called, but probably just the policy.

They temp plugged up the tank for her to which was nice. Tax dollars at work!

 

[the moops]

Why is the fire department involved?

Gasoline all over the ground around gas pumps. They spray it with a form and then clean up.

Oh, I get that part. But they were involved regardless of the JB Weld fix

 

[Mile High]

Yep. Apparently the gas station attendant was freaking out so I'm guessing he called, but probably just the policy.

They temp plugged up the tank for her to which was nice. Tax dollars at work!

One of my jobs was working at a convenient store and there was a gas spill like yours wives but different. Fire Department was all over it. There was a lot involved in the clean up.

 

[ChiefD]

Friend of mine was filling his tank at a gas station and went back into his car for a second. Came back out and grabbed the handle and sparked a fire. He instinctively pulled out the handle and whooooooosh - the whole car caught fire. 

It was on the gas station video so it was there in all it's glory for us to see.

(I will search for the video and post if I can find it)

 

[The General]

One of my jobs was working at a convenient store and there was a gas spill like yours wives but different. Fire Department was all over it. There was a lot involved in the clean up.

I guess he was very concerned about the storm drains. This gas station isn’t too far from the Puget Sound so I get it, probably not the most uncommon thing to have a gas spill. Dilution is the solution. 

 

[The General]

Friend of mine was filling his tank at a gas station and went back into his car for a second. Came back out and grabbed the handle and sparked a fire. He instinctively pulled out the handle and whooooooosh - the whole car caught fire. 

It was on the gas station video so it was there in all it's glory for us to see.

(I will search for the video and post if I can find it)

Whoa.

 

[belljr]

Friend of mine was filling his tank at a gas station and went back into his car for a second. Came back out and grabbed the handle and sparked a fire. He instinctively pulled out the handle and whooooooosh - the whole car caught fire. 

It was on the gas station video so it was there in all it's glory for us to see.

(I will search for the video and post if I can find it)

Found it

https://i.imgur.com/PAxBwS5.gif