Gas theft the next crime wave? Siphoners can suck you dry

Big doings here in the heartland yesterday. An 18-wheeler trucker was parked, lounging in the sleeper of his tractor-trailer when another big rig pulled alongside. A moment later, to his surprise, he heard the sound of his fuel tank being siphoned. After learning the cops had been called, the thief, Carl Wilson, attempted to flee the scene in his rig, but the victim jumped into the cab with him and wrestled for control of the vehicle.The truck ended up in the ditch, Wilson in jail.

Look for gas theft to become a more common occurrence as the prices continue to soar. Given this, are you protected? An inside release is marginally helpful, although a crowbar can make short work of the hurdle, and costs a bit to replace. Better is a locking gas cap, which can be found in the $20 range. That's five gallons of gasoline, which could be sucked out of your ride in a couple of minutes.

How hard would it be for someone to siphon your tank? This video shows just how easily you could be robbed of your amber gold.

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