Gustavo Galvéz, proprietor of Galvéz Auto Clinic, can testify to the brand new drawback Southern California drivers are going through: fuel thieves.
Just a few days in the past, a landscaper requested him for assist together with his automobile, they usually found a brand new modus operandi for criminals.
“He went to begin the automotive to go to work, and it did not begin,” Galvéz mentioned. “Properly, he introduced it right here to see what the issue was and the fuel tank had a gap in it.”
Apparently, Galvéz mentioned, somebody used the outlet to take the gasoline from the automotive.
“These individuals are to not blame, that the worth of fuel is thru the roof,” Galvéz mentioned. “Come and have an effect on them by giving them extra bills.”
Repairing a fuel tank is a really costly job, operating as excessive as $800. That value contains changing the tank and the restore of some other injury precipitated within the technique of the theft.
“They do not care for it, ‘I’ll open the lid, I’ll put a hose in it, extract the pump,'” mentioned Galvéz. “No, they arrive and make a gap in it, and ‘growth’ let’s go.”
As the price of gasoline in SoCal continues to skyrocket, drivers may proceed to face these issues.
“As the price of gasoline continues to extend, we consider these circumstances of gasoline theft from fuel tanks will enhance as nicely,” mentioned Anlleyn Venegas, spokesperson for AAA.
Listed here are some suggestions from AAA to keep away from turning into a sufferer of this kind of crime:
- Park your automobile contained in the storage of your own home.
- If you do not have a storage, park your automotive in a well-lit space with a variety of site visitors.
- For those who’re parking in a big parking storage for a complete constructing, it is a good suggestion to park close to an elevator, as there’s extra visibility and foot site visitors.
This story was translated from our sister station Telemundo 52.