How To Protect Your Car From Gas Thieves In Petaluma

PETALUMA, CA — From gas siphoning in local neighborhoods to breaking fuel pumps, thieves are targeting drivers and gas stations all over the Golden State amid a historic gas price surge, according to multiple reports.

As gas prices continue to creep up, AAA is warning residents about a potential rise in fuel theft.

Californians who own older cars should be especially vigilant of thieves who siphon gas, the act of sucking gas from a vehicle's tank through a tube. While newer cars have an anti-rollover valve that prevents thieves from siphoning gas, bandits are skipping that method and drilling right into the tank itself. This method causes extensive damage and can cost motorists more than $1,000 to repair, the auto club wrote in a statement.

In Southern California, a group of organized thieves reportedly used trucks with large plastic tanks to capture fuel after breaking the pump at a gas station, a Chevron Clerk told KTLA.

Last month in American Canyon, there were multiple reports of gas thefts from a Safeway gas station. The culprits used fraudulent credit cards to pump gas into large tanks, according to police.

Thieves in Houston, Texas nabbed thousands of dollars worth of diesel fuel from a gas station's underground tank this week.

"The van drives on top of the fuel tank and that's all you see. No one comes out, so they have a trapped door inside their vehicle, which is crazy," Jerry Thayl told ABC7 News.

Here in Petaluma, the Petaluma Police Department has not see a rise in reports of gas thefts. Within the last month, the department has received one call for service about a gas theft.

"I thought there might be more," Petaluma police Lt. Tim Lyons told Patch. "Perhaps, if they are only taking 5-7 gallons some people may not notice. So no significant increase. What we usually see more of is the theft of gas from commercial businesses, where a company may park its fleet of vehicles."

Nonetheless, Petaluma police offered the following tips for residents who want to keep their car safe from potential gas bandits:

• Park in the garage at home; if no garage, park in the driveway; if no driveway, park in a well-lighted area.
• Use a locking gas cap.
• Install a motion sensor alarm.
• If you have a home surveillance system, make sure it is on.

According to AAA, drivers should look for these signs that may indicate they've been a victim of gas theft:

• The smell of gas around your vehicle.
• A puddle underneath your car near the fuel tank.
• The vehicle won't start
• The vehicle will start but the fuel gauge shows fuel it is missing and/or the check engine light is illuminated.

If you believe your vehicle has been tampered with:

• Contact the police and file a report.
• Call your insurance company to learn if your policy covers the repair.
• Take your vehicle to a trusted repair facility as soon as you can.

Latest Sonoma County, California Gas Prices

On Wednesday, the average price for regular gas in California crept up to $5.77 per gallon, a modest increase compared with the 8- to 13-cent surge the state saw daily last week, AAA reported. One year ago, regular gas cost $3.85 per gallon.

Wednesday in Sonoma County, the average price for a gallon of regular gas was $5.84.

The cheapest gas Wednesday in Sonoma County, according to Gasbuddy.com, was $5.44 for a regular gallon at Quik Stop in Cloverdale; $5.45 at Costco in Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa; and $5.49 at Speedway Express in Cotati and Santa Rosa, Safeway in Santa Rosa, Baywood Gas Mart in Petaluma and Save-On Gas in Cotati; and $5.49 at Healdsburg Gas Mart in Healdsburg.

The average price of gas across the state rose 40 cents over the past week — from $5.343 per gallon to $5.74 Tuesday — and 64 cents over a month, AAA reported.

Nationwide, the average regular gas prices rose to $4.31 per gallon, up from $2.86 per gallon last year. Oil is currently at its highest price since July 2008, NBC Los Angeles reported.

The surge, aggravated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, was expected to ease up as the price of crude oil gradually fell. The price of oil crested at $123 per barrel shortly after the war erupted, but it fell below $110 on Monday.

"It bears reminding that the cost of oil accounts for about 50 percent of what drivers pay at the pump," said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. "This war is roiling an already tight global oil market and making it hard to determine if we are near a peak for pump prices or if they keep grinding higher. It all depends on the direction of oil prices."

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