The Fontana Police Department in California said Saturday because of skyrocketing gas prices, thieves were drilling into gas tanks to swipe fuel.
In a social media post, the department acknowledged residents were concerned about the problem and detailed a recent incident:
On 06/08/22, officers responded to the parking lot of Shakey’s Pizza to look for suspects stealing gasoline from the victim’s car. The suspect’s vehicle was described as a black pickup truck with a tarp in the back. Officers arrived, but the suspects were already gone.
Later in the evening, a patrol Officer located a matching vehicle in a nearby residential neighborhood.
However, the truck sped away when the officer tried to make contact with those inside. A chase resulted before ending at a railroad yard in Bloomington.
The suspects eventually surrendered and it was determined they had multiple outstanding warrants. The pair was booked into the West Valley Detention Center.
Meanwhile, fuel prices stayed fixed at more than $5.00 a gallon for seven consecutive days, Breitbart News reported on Thursday.
“The record-high prices come as President Joe Biden has waged a war on American oil, which includes driving up private and public financing costs of oil drilling, halting drilling on public lands, and canceling the Keystone pipeline,” the outlet said.
Two people allegedly stole nearly 1,100 gallons of fuel from a Florida gas station earlier this month, according to Breitbart News.
“While some thieves use rubber hoses to siphon fuel out, we are witnessing modern-day thieves use power tools to drill a hole in the gas tank and steal fuel,” the Fontana Police Department continued.
“The cost of damage to the gas tank far exceeds that of the gasoline, and we recommend that you park your vehicle in a garage or well-lit and high-traveled area to help deter would-be thieves,” the department concluded.