Gas Theft - What to do about it

[Glenn E. Meyer]

6 Bucks by labor day!

All Hail Cheney!

Wonder if GWB will be a 'consultant' for oil companies when he tap dances off the White House porch for the last time.

Anyway shooting someone for gas will solve your mileage problems as you walk from Cell Block A to B.

 

[Hardtarget]

Not only is it $4.00/gal gas. If they drill your tank...its about $400.00 to replace the tank. Lay just $40.00 on the table. Are you going to just let some thug walk off with it? Why is it ok to shoot a robber...but don't dare "protect property"? That property cost me a part of my life..(work every day) to get the money for it. Thugs best leave it alone.

Mark.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I doubt very much I'd use a gun at all, but if I could sneak up on him before he ran, he'd get a very broken nose. Let him do whatever the hell he wants as far as the law goes with that.

 

[Rant Casey]

I have two vehicles, a 2002 Hummer H1 v8 diesel and a v10 ford excursion, needless to say I spend roughly 300/week on fuel. I can't imagine how i'd react if I saw someone stealing my gas, I know I wouldn't shoot them as much as i'd like to because we can't defend property with deadly force here, however I would venture a guess that they'd be having a bad day any way you look at it.

I should buy a hybrid, but what fun is that?

 

[Csspecs]

I'm planning on buying a few new gas cans this summer, the old ones will be filled with dirty water and about 3 cups of gas so that they smell right. I'll leave them in a shed before you would reach the cars walking in from the road.

I really hope I get someone

 

[Socrates]

If I had one of those huge tanks, I wouldn't fill it past 1/4.
Plus, everytime I go into a gas station, I can wash my windows, use their water, and air, and generally get back a minimal amount of the outrageous amounts they are charging...

 

[chuckrusty]

i see we had a few comments about dogs,

we have had dogs as long as i can remember, i live in a rural area and through the years the dogs have run several would be thieves off,
and thats just the ones i know about, who knows how much they have saved us over the years, i presently have one adult and one pup, and my brother who lives maybe a hundred yards away also has one adult and one pup, and the sire who is to old to be of much use right now , but to sentimental to put him down, just a little over a month ago, dad heard a commotion out back at 2:00 am, and saw a dark dressed figure hightailing around the hillside, with a large agitated dog in hot pursuit!

 

[skeeter1]

several vehicles parked outside are getting drained by a group of goblins.

Well, for starters, if you have a garage, you might want to try putting your cars in it. I have several neighbors who use their garages as workshops/storage spaces/garage sales/party centers, etc. If they get ripped off, I haven't got one bit of sympathy.

 

[flccnp]

I was figuring that as gas prices went up the gang bangers wouldn't be able to afford the gas and would start doing walk-bys.

I guess not.

 

[kybriarbuster]

gas cap

you can take a screwdriver and pop out the lock on a locking cap and have it off faster than with a key. i lost my key on a recent hunting trip and was getting ready to fill up and had no key. save your money. sam

 

[Jacobie]

I still say netgun.
www.lawenforcementmall.com

 

[armoredman]

I carpool. Where we park our cars has a cop going by at odd times, but usually within a few minutes of each other - station is about 1/16 mile from there. I park directly under a streetlight, angled so the gas cap is visible from the street. Hopefully that will help. I don't have a locking cap, as I agree - I'd rather replace $44 worth of gas, (small tank), than argue about my deductable with the insurance company.
At night it's garaged.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I should buy a hybrid, but what fun is that?

I hear you. Both my vehicles are supercharged V8 F150s. One is a daily driver, the other is more or less a toy. They both burn premium, of course. This sucks, but of course I didn't buy either of them for their stellar gas mileage. Gas was less than 2 bucks a gallon, though.

 

[LanceOregon]

I should buy a hybrid, but what fun is that?

Wait for the new 2009 autos to come out. Honda just announced they will have 3 new Hybrid vehicles for 2009. And that they will all be affordable.

The next improved generation of Toyota Prius is coming out in the 2009 model year also. And there are industry reports that it is going to get over 20 more miles per gallon than the current Prius.

.

 

[GoSlash27]

Locking gas caps only prevent the stupid from getting fuel.

As opposed to? If they were smart they wouldn't be stealing gas.

I'll state the obvious just one more time before I bow out of this thread:

If you employ deadly force to protect your gasoline, feel free to explain to the judge how expensive it is or how the thief limited your options in an emergency or whatever you like, but you will still spend the rest of your life in Federal prison.

 

[MrClean]

Well.... been an interesting read through this thread to say the least. And everyone has different opinions.... preventive... defensive... offensive.... etc. That's what makes it great! A thief is a thief. If reasonable measures have been taken to prevent and someone still makes the choice to break the law, so be it. I'm not sure elsewhere, but even the 'sic the dog on them' theory is apt to land you in court.
As for kids.... the earlier they learn the better. In the last 3 weeks we have had TWO pull out a BBGun (one that is the spittin image of a 1911 and the other a 92F) while out. They were within a second or two of being shot when they finally dropped the weapon. There have also been other 'kids' carted off in handcuffs for the real deal. It tears at me that the kids of America have come to this point. Do I blame the kids? No. I blame the parents in the majority of cases. But you can't afford to just cut them loose due to any circumstances.
Solution? Each has to make his or her own choice. Hmmm.... if the thief is willing to risk going to jail.... they just MIGHT have a weapon that when confronted you'd have to defend against. Or.... they MIGHT trip and fall while running... spilling gas everywhere and then a small spark MIGHT set the whole thing off. Maybe a car tag will be grabbed and phoned to local authorities, or sugar-water stolen (hope they don't get vengeful on you!).

The courts aren't what they use to be. Good Luck with whatever decision you make. And thanks for all the good reads.

 

[SilentHitz]

You're welcome...baldy

 

[SPUSCG]

i remember hearing someone talk about being shot with rocksalt out of a shotgun

 

[cschwanz]

if i ever hear or find someone trying to steal my gas, im grabing my paintball marker and heading for the front door. 100% non lethal yet can create quite a sting if you are not accostomed to feeling the hit. something about a gelatin capsule travling at 300 fps some ppl dont like. Plus, if they jump in a car, put a few on the back window and then call the cops. itll be easy for them to identify the culprits.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

i remember hearing someone talk about being shot with rocksalt out of a shotgun

My mother once got her ass pelted with rocksalt for tipping over an outhouse. She was quite a brat, I guess, and had a sister and four brothers that were the same. I guess that was the Upper Peninsula's 30s version of stealing hubcaps or something. Not much to steal on tractors and horses and crap.