Just today one of our vendors was here visiting, telling us about how bad gas theft was in California. He told of people driving to work, work all day, then when they are ready to head for home they cannot start their car because it has been drained of gas in the parking lot! He also said that license plates are a "hot" item also because people steal them from your car, put them on their car and then fill their car up at a station and drive off just to have the authorities track it back to you by your plate. The last story he told was that one of his employees drove to work, then when they went to leave their truck was exceptionally loud. Someone had cut the catalytic converters off of it while this person was working. (depending on which ones, catalytic converters can bring really good money to metal recycling shops) Now, I must say that this business might not be in the best part of town, but it could happen to anyone, anywhere at anytime.
Don't wait to become the next victim, Latemodel Restoration Supply can supply you with locking gas caps for your Mustang or Chevy truck as well as special screws for your license plate and yes, even budget high flow catalytic converters if need be.
1979-93 Mustang and 1988-98 Chevy Truck Locking Fuel Cap
1994-04 Mustang Locking Fuel Cap
2005-08 Mustang Locking Fuel Cap
1999-06 Chevy Truck Locking Fuel Cap
Universal License Plate Screws with Special tool bit
Pypes 2.5" Stainless Universal High Flow Catalytic Converters
Also, look at this article from MSN.com...
Gasoline thefts rise with pump prices
Self-serve is taking on a new meaning: Drivers are helping themselves to gas. But drive-offs are less common than they might be because many stations require prepayment.
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By
Reuters
Motorists, angered by soaring gasoline prices, are resorting increasingly to theft -- a trend that could worsen heading into summer driving season, a national association of fuel retailers said Thursday.
"It is getting bad. When the price of gasoline goes up, the number of drive-offs goes up," said Dan Gilligan, president of the Petroleum Marketers Association of America, which represents about 8,000 retailers.
Drive-off means a motorist pulls up to a gas station's pump, fills the car's tank, and then speeds off without paying for the fuel.
Average gasoline prices hit a record $3.56 per gallon in the United States on Thursday, bringing them more than 24% higher than a year ago amid a surge in the cost of crude oil, according to travel group AAA's daily survey of up to 100,000 service stations.
Energy experts have said gasoline could top $4 a gallon in many parts of the country heading into summer, when demand for the fuel typically peaks with road travel as Americans go on vacation.
Gilligan said that some state fuel-dealer associations were pressing lawmakers to make it easier to prosecute motorists who fill up and then drive off without paying, while many service stations were starting to require payment in advance.
"The last time we had a spike up in gasoline, lots of retailers switched to requiring payment before fill-up," said Gilligan. "But many retailers still want to preserve the trust relationship they have with their customers."
Published April 25, 2008