I know someone who parked his truck and went in a store. Upon returning to truck he noticed fuel on the ground. Looking under the truck he found a drill bit sticking out of his tank. It seeme likely the thief was looking for gasoline and too stupid to know the truck was a diesel. Epoxy and duct tape got him home. Fuel theft is very easy with plastic tanks plus no sparks so no Kaboom.

That really bits, but this has been happening for some time. Just wait till some yahoodie attempts to drill a hole in the DEF tank on the newer trucks, thinking that's the gas tank! Too bad those DEF tanks don't have filling spouts outside, so if they tried to syphen with a hose, they'd get a mouthful of a GREAT BIG surprise. if they can't even figure out the difference between diesel and gas, DEF will really be an eye opener .. maybe even an eye-soarer if it splashes in the wrong place! This world has really gone to pieces, hasn't it?

Many stories about that abound, It is a common practice to steal fuel that way.Of course there is the urban myth of the thief who siphoned the wrong tank on the motor home (I know it is a myth because the only opening into that tank from outside is on the roof, not on the side of the coach.. You can guess which tank)Back to your story.. I am surprised he left the drill bit.There are products that you can use to plug the hole that will actually work, Even with fuel in the tank at the time... Alas, i can not recommend a specific product without more research though. The one I use is for pinholes only.

Yeah I know it is not a new thing but I posted just to keep the issue alive for those who might be aware of it. Plastic tanks make it so easy. I have had holes in the past but not from theft. Robber stoppers from a lab supply are good to stop a leak. I have also used a stick whittled to a taper.

DutchmenSport wrote:That really bits, but this has been happening for some time. Just wait till some yahoodie attempts to drill a hole in the DEF tank on the newer trucks, thinking that's the gas tank! Too bad those DEF tanks don't have filling spouts outside, so if they tried to syphen with a hose, they'd get a mouthful of a GREAT BIG surprise. if they can't even figure out the difference between diesel and gas, DEF will really be an eye opener .. maybe even an eye-soarer if it splashes in the wrong place! This world has really gone to pieces, hasn't it?2014 Dodge def fill is outside, right next to the fuel fill. They dont make locking caps but you can buy a locking fuel door for $90.00. Aluminum billet looking door, I think that's what they call it.

Glad I have a metal tank. But I also have gas not diesel....Now I am gonna have to sit outside with my guard cat who is on catnip....Yes It was meant to give you a chuckle. the catnip guard cat part..

Attempted Fuel Theft | Good Sam Community

hone_eagle
Explorer
Aug 23, 2014
emaav wrote:
Glad I have a metal tank. But I also have gas not diesel....Now I am gonna have to sit outside with my guard cat who is on catnip....

Yes It was meant to give you a chuckle. the catnip guard cat part..

Metal tank is not any more secure ,mine are 3/16 thick and a chisel has no problem going thru them at all,sheet metal even easier.
Locking cap is a waste ,I do however reef mine tight with a giant set of pliers.
ol_Bombero-JC
Explorer
Aug 23, 2014
JaxDad wrote:
Raften wrote:
I know someone who parked his truck and went in a store. Upon returning to truck he noticed fuel on the ground.

Fuel theft is very easy with plastic tanks plus no sparks so no Kaboom.

Sounds like one of those poorly thought out urban legends to me.

DC motors (like those found in cordless drills) are notorious for big healthy sparks. Further, if it's a plastic fuel tank, and you want the fuel fast, a piece of steel tubing cut on a sharp angle would go through much faster, with no chance of spark and the hollow center would flow FAR faster than a drill bit.

BTW, the drill bit was still in the hole? Wonder how the chuck was tight enough to drill a hole, but loose enough for the bit to get pulled out by a bit of plastic?

I also wonder who'd be dumb enough to lay a under a truck that could be started and driven over them any second, and what they carried to drain it into, then pour it into?

This little piggy stole no gas, this little piggy knew to read the badge on the side of the truck that said diesel.

Yep - I was thinking about the spark also.......however, thieves are usually about a brick short of a full load....

On a "grander scale" - there have been at least two recent "events" of thieves in vans parking over the underground fill caps at the gas station, dropping a hose down to the tank and pumping to a large capacity tank inside the van.

As reported on TV - the, perps were caught, as things *DID* go *BOOM* - obviously from fumes and "unprotected" electric motors.
(One in L.A. was "caught dead" - due to the boom)

Most recent is Miami, FL - guy had been arrested 6 times previously for same thing. DOA in south Central LA (2013) had been warned by his family (he had 4 or 5 55gal drums inside the van).
Cops in Compton (CA) recently stopped a van that had 4 55gal drums of gas (or diesel) inside.
All above info is avail via Google.

BTW - For my own vehicle/s - I would be WAY more concerned about catalytic converter theft and tailgate theft...;)

~
navegator
Explorer
Aug 23, 2014
I lived in Santa Monica during the gas crunch and one night I came home parked the VW on the street and walked to the apartment, we had four parking spots in the front, one was my house mate and had her car parked in her space, there where 2 idiots siffoning gas from her car and that solved the problem of who was parked in the entrance.

I went back to the VW and pulled my small ax and promptly embeded it in theire gas tank, when they heard the noise they both decided to high tail it out, I retrievd the ax fom the tank and called the Police, they took of after them following the trail.

Next day I purchased locking gas caps for both vehicles.

My Rv has a locking door that I installed since the cap on the Ford E-350 is recesed and slanted it works great, I swear at it verey time I have to fill it,
I also installed a lock on the Suzuky, I had to manufacture a plate so that the tongue of the lock catches it is an RV compartment style lock.

Today you never know what those idiots are going to do.

navegator
Muddydogs
Explorer
Aug 23, 2014
This has been talked about for years on preparedness type forums. Need to get some gas out of your gas tank well a drill and self tapper screw works wonders. Drill the self tapper screw into a low area on your tank, position the container, back out the screw and drain what fuel you need then when done tighten the screw to stop the flow of fuel.
down_home
Explorer II
Aug 24, 2014
Lots of stories about this stuff. A friend had them steal the gas from the bed, of his truck. I told him to take an old container, and put diesel in it instead of gas. Sure enough they came back some time later. Don't know what it did for their gas engine but it must have not been favorable. A day or two later they knocked everybody's mail boxes down with a baseball bat or something. Our Policeman caught them. I'm not sure what the penalty is for destroying mailboxes but I bet its' more than for stealing gasoline. I had thought of leaving a gas can full of something near the end of our drive, to help discourage them but conscience said no.
NJRVer
Explorer
Aug 24, 2014
I had this happen in Tucumcari, NM.
Wife and I got off the highway for the night and I decided to gas up so we could just pull out in the morning.
When we went to leave the hotel in the morning I only had half a tank.
mlts22
Explorer
Aug 25, 2014
Had that happen a couple years ago at a CG in east Texas. A neighbor had their toad's fuel filler door torn off and their tank punched on their "A". Ironically, my truck had three full five gallon gas cans in the bed (tied down with bungee cables) for my generator, and was untouched.

I wouldn't say thieves are smart. It is not uncommon to read about some meth-heads trying to cut down a live electric wire, only to get zapped, or find out that the wire is aluminum or CCA. A couple years back, I had the "output" of my bag toilet stolen in a heist where a truck pulled next to mine at a truck stop (I was inside buying a drink), a guy jumped from truck bed to truck bed, grabbed my garbage, then took off going the wrong way on the highway. The attendant offered to call the sheriff, but for $0 loss, why even bother.
super_camper
Explorer
Aug 25, 2014
emaav wrote:
Glad I have a metal tank. But I also have gas not diesel....Now I am gonna have to sit outside with my guard cat who is on catnip....

Yes It was meant to give you a chuckle. the catnip guard cat part..
A metal tank can be a disadvantage. You can buy tools that include a magnet, battery, pump, and punch. Stealing gas is a 3 step process:
1. attach the tool
2. hit punch to puncture tank
3. insert hose in your gas tank

The tool I saw had a 1/2 inch hose so it could move a lot of gas quickly.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Aug 25, 2014
A thought struck me after I hit the sack last night.

There is a product you can buy consists of a bolt, nut, two washers and a rubber or rubber like, bushing,, assorted sizes

you insert it in the hole, tighten the bolt the bushing expands and it seals the hole. Good as new for about a dollar.
Raften
Explorer
Aug 25, 2014
JaxDad wrote:
Raften wrote:
I know someone who parked his truck and went in a store. Upon returning to truck he noticed fuel on the ground.

Fuel theft is very easy with plastic tanks plus no sparks so no Kaboom.

Sounds like one of those poorly thought out urban legends to me.

DC motors (like those found in cordless drills) are notorious for big healthy sparks. Further, if it's a plastic fuel tank, and you want the fuel fast, a piece of steel tubing cut on a sharp angle would go through much faster, with no chance of spark and the hollow center would flow FAR faster than a drill bit.

BTW, the drill bit was still in the hole? Wonder how the chuck was tight enough to drill a hole, but loose enough for the bit to get pulled out by a bit of plastic?

Not sure what you mean by urban legend, it happened. Not sure if a dc drill would cause a fire with diesel. I run BD and no way a spark is going to light that off.

I also wonder who'd be dumb enough to lay a under a truck that could be started and driven over them any second, and what they carried to drain it into, then pour it into?

This little piggy stole no gas, this little piggy knew to read the badge on the side of the truck that said diesel.

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