Fuel, rare metals just about anything like this is game for this type of scum.

I had a large amount of Stainless Steel and other alloys stolen from me.. Finished pieces.

I don't want to say how much it was worth, but think about how much your first house cost.

Gotta protect yourselves. Even some cheapo cameras and an alarm go a long way.

 

If He woulda tried that with me, er ah, SORRY ED. OG syndrome setting in.
And people wonder why I carry (a cell phone of course)?

Good heads up, stay aware and stay safe.

 

Same thing happened to a buddy of mine back in high school (I was sitting in the car when it happened). He jumped in the car and we left while the other guy was still pumping. This was back when you had to pay cash for gas...

 

well, sorry for the kid, but everything should have been caught on the security cameras that I would think all gas stations have in place now over the pumps ... should have caught the whole scene, but maybe I'm being optimistic ... glad the wifey's OK ...

Sometimes I worry about my girl (g/f) , currently we live apart and I hear too many stories like this one ...

 

There have been two times in the last year that I've gone to fill up the truck and somebody will pull up to the joining pump (both diesel and gas at the same pump) and ask if I can let them have some gas because they are out of money. Both times I said sure and hand over the diesel nozzle. Both people reaslized what it was right away, gave it back, and left the station. Lately around here that have been alot more drive offs at the gas station too.

 

If the BOSS has to stop for gas, we generall always stop at the same station, good lighting and a lot of LEO presence as its centrally located to their patrol areas( alot of them take their breaks there). There are a couple stations in town that still offer "full service", and I have told her repeatedly to use those if its real late or if she feels "hinky" about anything.. or just call me..

 

back when I worked at a convenience store, a common one was to stop when the store was busy. Person comes in and tell you they are filling up on a pump (naturally, they are parked so you cant see the tag). when they finish fueling, lay the nozzle down so the machine inside doesn't chime. by the time the clerk gets a chance to look up again, they are gone.

One thing I have learned, thieves dont work alone. Gas thieve hit hard, but a bad employee hit harder.

 

That sort of surprises me; because, Northern Tool, Tractor Supply, and about ten dozen other places sell numerous models of 12V-DC high-volume fuel-pumps for those big in-bed fuel tanks that farmers and construction-operaters have in the beds of their trucks.


Maybe I should start waiting over in the next county when they are fueling the equipment.

 

To curb catalytic converter thefts some states are requiring sellers of these items to sign an affidavit that the units are not stolen, they also require all sellers to have personal information on file at the salvage yard. Now get this if they are caught selling stolen CC's they are fined and or imprisoned.. Sounds great right? Well look at it this way...Do you want your personal information on file at the salvage yard? (Hello Identity theft) and if you fine a thief how does he pay his fines..He Steals even more! I guess jeeps are at the top of the hit list as they are easier to get to...

 

A driver came into work the other day and said there was a guy in a Flying J stealing fuel. He had a deal that went over the fuel cap and sealed it off. There was one pipe with compressed air from the glandhand and the other went into his holding tank. Apparently this guy watched and when the drivers would fill up and park for a shower etc. he would strike.

A driver came back early from his shower, he forgot his clothes. He caught this guy and he begged to not call the cops. The driver got all his fuel back and agreed not to call the cops.

As soon as he got the fuel back, he got on the CB and announced that he found the guy that was stealing fuel around there for a while. I guess there was some street justice before the cops got there and saved the guy.

At the dealership, we cant keep enough locking caps in stock. I hear way too many stories about fuel theft at 200-300 gal a pop.

 

the difference is that fueling tractors people use slip tanks that are out in the open where there is plenty of ventalation.

 

In just the last couple of weeks, there have been three cases of converter theft at our tire-shop.

1. A lady had left work and was cruising past our place, the remains of her exhaust (from where her converter had been sawed off) stabbed into the black-top, momentarily lifting her rear wheels off the ground, sort of catapulting her into our lot, where she landed without further harm.
She said that she noticed her car being much louder and was gonna have her husband check it out when she got home.


2. Before we opened, a lady's car quit on her way to work.
She coasted into our lot and left it along a windowless wall of our building, calling someone to pick her up.
Once at work, she called a tow-truck to drag it to the garage.
Before lunch, the tow-truck arrived.
Her converter had already been stolen, in broad daylight, next to our busy shop.


3. A lady coasted into our lot, in a mini-van, with the automatic transmission barely pulling the vehicle.
She parked it in front of our building and called a ride.
Her husband stopped by and said he would be off work the next day and would bring a trailer to get it.
When I parked beside it, the next morning, I could see the exhaust-pipe freshly cut, and laying on the ground.


I lay a lot of the blame for all this theft of scrap copper, converters, etc. at the door of the scrap dealers; as, they know good and well when they are buying stolen goods.

When the same no-job thief sells them a dozen converters a week, and they know he does nothing but loaf, drink, and dope around, they would have to be a complete blank to not know the stuff was stolen.

I think the scrap buyers should be convicted, right alongside the thieves.

 

I live in a small town, 1 station, closes it doors at 10pm but the pumps are on all night for CC use. I have had people ask me for a couple bucks GAS while I'm pumping because the only have cash, they are suprised when I tell them I'm pumping diesel - act like they never heard of the stuff???

We have had several incidents where someone HAS forced somebody to give them gas, pretty much all of these have driven off never to be caught. Same applies to the 'turn on pump#, then switch to the other pump story', as I understand it IS getting worse everywhere.

I usually go to fill up after hours because it is a small station and always busy, hard to get in/out and lots of people have their cars backed into, etc but I also carry both my cell phone and pistol, would not go there without them late at night. By the way, we have open carry law here, so having a pistol holstered on your belt IS legal and is just a good visual deterrant for those who would/might consider doing something illegal.

 

Nice. People are always looking for ways to do things like that.

 

Not neccesarily... if they are pumping from tank to tank with a pump rated for fuel, and they control vapors (exhaust outside the trailer) they are fine.
if they are exhausting fumes in the trailer, asphyxiation would be a bigger concern as the air/fuel ratio would quickly get out of balance.