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Pain at the pump: Deputy interrupts elaborate gasoline theft

MSNBC -- As gasoline prices rise at the pump, so apparently does the brazenness of some thieves trying to steal it.

In Tampa, Fla., authorities say criminals used a minivan with a cutout floorboard, a pump and a big plastic container in an elaborate scheme to siphon gas directly from a gas station’s underground storage tank.

"When the price of the commodities goes up, we're not surprised to see that enterprising thieves will find ways to get that commodity and make a profit," St. Petersburg police spokesman Mike Puetz told the Tampa Bay Times.

Hillsborough County sheriff’s officials say the gasoline caper happened Tuesday morning at a Citrus Park gas station. The suspects had cut a hole through the bottom of a Chevrolet minivan and parked the vehicle over the station's underground storage tank.

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Submitted Feb 24, 2012 By: PrepHermit

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REPLIES (newest first)Ignore Short Messages

remay Champion Author Houston Posts:7,078 Points:2,143,965 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Feb 25, 2012 10:45:35 AM Ignore remay Report Abuse A trend??? Wouldn't be surprised if stations charge MORE, because they are having to hire off-duty law enforcement to protect their pumps...
Sparky19038 Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:2,213 Points:606,865 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Feb 25, 2012 8:14:09 AM Ignore Sparky19038 Report Abuse re: "Don't steal it from the stations. They only make a few pennies per gallon. The distributors are the ones who set the prices and gouge the station owners." Thieves generally don't give a rat's tiny hiney about the plight of their victims. If they did, they'd probably not choose the path in life that they have.
Sparky19038 Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:2,213 Points:606,865 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Feb 25, 2012 8:11:10 AM Ignore Sparky19038 Report Abuse re: "UNderground fuel tank filler caps do not lock?" As with most advances in security, people just don't think about it, until the criminals notice and take advantage of it, first. The caps are simply metal plates, like small manhole covers. They are meant to keep contaminants out of the fuel supply. There has been, and still is, very little reason to go through any trouble or expense to secure them.
fuel2use Champion Author Seattle Posts:3,615 Points:758,920 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Feb 25, 2012 4:16:06 AM Ignore fuel2use Report Abuse We have heard this before. It may be rare but it does happen. Just keep an eye out.
Mark8601 All-Star Author Bakersfield Posts:929 Points:397,035 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 11:13:23 PM Ignore Mark8601 Report Abuse This is just the start!
MINIWINI598 Champion Author Washington Posts:3,170 Points:546,400 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 8:48:50 PM Ignore MINIWINI598 Report Abuse ridiculous
joekayak All-Star Author Massachusetts Posts:850 Points:747,420 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 7:45:01 PM Ignore joekayak Report Abuse I'm surprised its taken this long for some people to start stealing gas, I had expected this kind of behavior to have occurred much sooner than now.
ItisAJeepThing Champion Author Tucson Posts:20,030 Points:2,179,280 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 5:49:59 PM Ignore ItisAJeepThing Report Abuse I am very surprised that gasoline stations aren't locking the lids to their underground storage tanks. I knew a couple of guys that did this in 1970 when gasoline hit $0.509 per gallon. Also it would seem appropriate for tanker truck drivers to be armed. Their cargo might be worth more than some bank-business armored trucks carry, mostly credit card receipts sometimes.
StArrow68 Champion Author Oakland Posts:3,397 Points:1,388,415 Joined:Apr 2003	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 5:30:21 PM Ignore StArrow68 Report Abuse Stupid is it's own reward.
wendyAZ Veteran Author Phoenix Posts:419 Points:197,360 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 5:25:35 PM Ignore wendyAZ Report Abuse That kind of theft takes a lot of chutzpah, or just plain stupidity! If they had succeeded, they could easily have blown themselves up on their back as they were smoking their cigarettes and congratulating themselves!
TruthMatters Champion Author New Jersey Posts:2,586 Points:558,555 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 4:30:54 PM Ignore TruthMatters Report Abuse Wow, I wonder how many copycats out there are now inspired by this article?
Meowmy Champion Author Florida Posts:1,293 Points:354,505 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 3:00:17 PM Ignore Meowmy Report Abuse Don't steal it from the stations. They only make a few pennies per gallon. The distributors are the ones who set the prices and gouge the station owners.
SycamoreISU Champion Author Indiana Posts:1,070 Points:276,800 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 2:46:14 PM Ignore SycamoreISU Report Abuse It's too bad that the thieves couldn't put their creative energy into an honest day's work.
nfldude Champion Author San Diego Posts:4,063 Points:472,755 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 2:43:31 PM Ignore nfldude Report Abuse UNderground fuel tank filler caps do not lock?
trinda1 Champion Author Fort Worth Posts:2,011 Points:544,795 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 1:51:16 PM Ignore trinda1 Report Abuse They were going to get caught sooner or later. Then they acted like the gas suppliers and got greedy.
buckets42 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:1,690 Points:329,550 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 1:38:11 PM Ignore buckets42 Report Abuse Interesting!
playtimeCLE Champion Author Cleveland Posts:8,699 Points:1,571,100 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 1:30:03 PM Ignore playtimeCLE Report Abuse Buy a locking gas cap & park the car in the garage or in well lighted places in public parking area's.
bandannaman Champion Author New Jersey Posts:1,849 Points:365,610 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 1:17:10 PM Ignore bandannaman Report Abuse Nice try!
kag2010 Champion Author Winnipeg Posts:5,399 Points:1,048,435 Joined:Apr 2010	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 1:13:06 PM Ignore kag2010 Report Abuse Nothing new,
WalkingWV Champion Author West Virginia Posts:3,755 Points:788,930 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 12:18:19 PM Ignore WalkingWV Report Abuse Nothing new, this has been done for a long time.
Charley_7 Veteran Author New York Posts:293 Points:211,255 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 12:10:50 PM Ignore Charley_7 Report Abuse Price rise -> more theft. Doesn't matter if it's gasoline or rice or a truckload of tomatoes...
md11capt Champion Author Denver Posts:3,558 Points:729,930 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 24, 2012 12:07:58 PM Ignore md11capt Report Abuse Shocking.