Modern systems prevent suction through the nozzle, leading criminals to drill into the bottom of fuel tanks
The rise in fuel prices, caused by the recent conflicts in the Middle East, has generated a change in the behavior of criminals. With modern vehicles equipped with systems that prevent traditional suction theft, thieves have adopted an aggressive tactic: directly stealing from gas tanks to extract the liquid.
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In the past, fuel theft was done in a simpler way, inserting a hose through the filling nozzle. However, current automotive engineering has made this practice nearly impossible. Modern cars have narrow, curved nozzles, as well as anti-siphon valves and deflectors that physically block access to the interior of the reservoir.
The technique adopted consists of drilling into the bottom of the tank and letting the fuel leak into a container. In addition to the loss, this creates fire hazards and dangerous situations such as leaks during refueling. Although comprehensive insurance usually covers this damage, the trend is for a market to emerge for metal tank protectors, following the example of what is already happening with catalytic converter thefts.
The current method of theft is extremely destructive to the car and financially to the victim. Reports from repair shops in Los Angeles indicate that vehicles with punctured tanks arrive for repair on a weekly basis. The impact on the owner’s pocket is disproportionate to the thief’s profit: in a case registered in the US, the criminal took only US$ 25 (about R$ 126) in gasoline, but caused damage of more than US$ 2,000 (about R$ 10,100).
