Stan Dutt started his day like any other: He got up and set out to drive to work. The gas gauge seemed lower than the night before, but it wasn’t enough to make him worry.
Then the driver next to him started hollering: “You’re leaking gas!”
The Denver warehouse manager pulled over and discovered a small hole on the driver’s side that led directly to the gas tank.
“It looked like a perfect half-inch drill bit went through there,” Dutt said.
Since Feb. 14, Denver police have investigated eight cases of gas-tank drilling in the Berkeley and West Highland neighborhoods, said John White, public affairs detective for the Denver Police Department.
It’s a trend they are hoping doesn’t spread. The increase in theft is not the only concern to police.
“This type of fuel siphoning is more dangerous than the traditional method,” White said. “Oftentimes, there is residual fuel still in the tank that then pours on the concrete, which is very hazardous.”
With gas prices on the rise, other communities that haven’t yet seen an increase in fuel theft are expectant.
“I haven’t noticed it yet, but if prices keep going up, I’m sure we will,” said Jim Shires, public information officer for Jefferson County.
The thief or thieves in Denver target high-profile vehicles, such as pickups and SUVs, probably because the gas tanks are easier to access from underneath, White said.
Police have very few leads in the cases. They don’t know why these neighborhoods were targeted or how many people are involved in the crimes, White said.
They believe the suspect in one of the cases may have left in a blue or gray “K-car” or similar four-door sedan.
Fixing the damage caused by gas thieves is not cheap. The gas tank on Dutt’s Ford Ranger had to be completely replaced. After paying more than $1,100 for the repairs, Dutt has changed his parking habits.
“I used to park on 35th because it was quieter and had less traffic,” he said. “Now, I’m parking on Utica because it’s busier.”
