Thieves use unique methods to steal gasoline as fuel prices rise. So you can protect your car

A gallon of gas could reach $4 by 2022 1:01 (CNN) — Mike Gross has seen many break-ins at his family’s dealership in Neillsville, Wisconsin, over the years, including theft of wheels, tires, cash and complete vehicles, but this is new. The service technician was preparing to inspect a used Jeep when he discovered a gas leak. The technician put the vehicle in a tackle and “as soon as he got it up in the air, everyone could see that someone had put a hole in the fuel tank” to steal the gas, Gross said. Travis Lewis, left, starts replacing a damaged gas tank at Gross Auto Group in Neillsville, Wisconsin. Gasoline prices have risen steadily over the past year as the US economy shrugged off the slow pace of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prices then soared to record highs this month after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Now, similar reports of gasoline theft, from Georgia to Washington and states in between, are being reported regularly. The thief at the Wisconsin dealership caused about $1,500 in damage to the Jeep for about three gallons of gasoline, Gross said. But thieves elsewhere are reported to have gotten away with thousands of dollars worth of gasoline. The damaged gas tank discovered by Gross Auto Group employees. Mandeep Singh, a gas station owner in Duncanville, Texas, has had about $27,000 worth of gas stolen in recent months. He didn’t reveal to CNN how the break-ins are happening, because he doesn’t want others to try the same thing. “This guy must be working for some kind of gas dispenser company because he had too much information,” Singh said, such as “how to take parts (from gas dispensers) and tinker with the system. No normal person can do it; the only person who can do it is someone who actually works for dispensers.” Police are working on the case and Singh has added security at his station. “We hope there will be justice,” he said. “That’s a lot of money for us to lose.” Why is the blockade against Russia not total? 2:03Unique Methods for Gas Thefts Thieves come up with novel ways to steal from gas stations. In Houston, Texas, they parked a minivan with a hatch over a station’s underground fuel tank and used the tank to steal 1,000 gallons of diesel over a three-day period, said Jerry Thayil, owner of the Fuqua Express station. Thayil is “a little bit frustrated and angry,” he said. “I can’t put my clients through this.” Florida investigators arrested two people last week who allegedly used fraudulent credit/debit cards and pump rigging devices to steal gasoline, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In North Carolina last week, thieves stole nearly 400 gallons of gasoline and were able to bypass the payment system. Recently, a car pulled up to the Bizzy Bee grocery store and gas station in High Point, and someone appeared to use a device at the pump to get gas without paying. Then, more than 15 cars stopped and filled their tanks over the course of 45 minutes, spending $1,600 on gas, according to station owner Hardik Patel. The victims are not just business owners. Across the country, people are reporting that their gas tanks have been punctured and stolen. Last week, in a Lowe’s parking lot in Carson City, Nevada, two suspects punctured the gas tank of a parked minivan, with the victim inside and “in broad daylight,” CNN affiliate KOLO reported. In a gas theft incident in Allentown, Pennsylvania, a home security camera recorded someone walking around the car with a drill and bucket, according to CNN affiliate WPVI. Several people in Atlanta reported that their gas tanks were punctured and emptied, according to CNN affiliate WSB-TV. Atlanta police arrested a man earlier this month suspected of drilling into tanks and taking gasoline, the department said in a statement. Drilling a hole in a gas tank is the only way to get gas out of the tank in newer cars, which have a valve that prevents gas from spilling out in a crash, according to AAA. The valve also prevents gasoline from being siphoned out of a tank the old-fashioned way. Gas hits record price in America 1:02How to protect yourself against gas theft Police departments across the country have been advising drivers to take steps to protect their cars from gas theft. The Everett Police Department and the Hoquiam Police Department in Washington suggest that drivers take precautions, such as buying a locked gas cap and parking in a visible, well-lit area. AAA has had so many inquiries about gasoline theft that it has put together a list of tips to avoid it, according to Andrew Gross, public relations manager for AAA National. Tips include parking in your garage if you have one, and when you’re outside, park in well-lit spots with lots of foot traffic, or if possible, in a fenced-in lot or parking lot. If you suspect your tank has been punctured, judging by the smell or puddles of gas near the tank, take your vehicle to a reputable repair center as soon as possible, recommends AAA.