Gas Theft From Cars? It’s Not A Joke

When I saw this little sticker on a gas station pump last week, I thought it had to be a joke. Thieves are running around town cutting fuel lines on cars to nick gasoline? Oh, I believe that every once in a great while some desperate person might try to get a gallon or two. But as a trend big enough to merit an orange warning sticker? That seemed implausible: gasoline is heavy, after all, and even just a few gallons could be bulky to carry, making it kind of hard to run from Officer Bluto. So I laughed when I saw the sticker, and thought it was so funny that I’d take a picture. I shouldn’t have laughed. It’s happening all over the place . These gas thefts from passenger vehicles reflect the combination of economic hard times and the increasing value of energy. People adapt to the times.