Stolen gas

[Mike Williamson 198]

I've had gas stolen off my trailer TWICE in less than a week...never had anything disappear before. I had a 5 gal can 1/2 full and a 2 gallon can of mixed gas that both disappeared last week. So...I bought two new cans, a 2 gallon can and a 1 gallon can, and locked them down with a cable lock. The jerks came by last night and just opened the cans and poured the gas into another container.

So...I need some help. I'm going to set these idiots up, but I need some advice. I'm going to stick TWO 5 gallon cans out there with the same cable on them...but I want to put something IN the gas that will mess up whatever they're going to use the gas in...I know sugar messes up an engine, but can you tell it's in there?

Any ideas??

[Adrian 155]

cut with water..... or fill the tanks with xylene....... or sand....... or nitro......or snakes would be good..... call the cops and see if they would be willing to patrol your area for a while late at night. I hate when stuff like that happens, esp. to good people. But rest assured what comes around......

[Mike Williamson 198]

cut with water..... or fill the tanks with xylene....... or sand....... or nitro......or snakes would be good..... call the cops and see if they would be willing to patrol your area for a while late at night. I hate when stuff like that happens, esp. to good people. But rest assured what comes around......

Wouldn't the water/gas seperate? I like that idea if it'd work, but I'm thinking more something that would permanently ruin the motor of whatever they tried to run it through. I have a feeling it is a lawn care guy who lives around the other side of the lake, but that's just suspicion.

I really hope they don't know the difference between mixed and regular gas, and dumped the whole can of mixed gas in their car.

[Kory 14]

Put moth balls in the gas it makes the pistons shoot threw an engine on a car

[Adrian 155]

I guess if you just have the vapors of the fuel present, they are probably not taking the time to inspect what is inside. BUT.... I am not the brightest person in the world, I think it would be a good idea to at least report it to the law and they measure if it is a spree or not if others also report.

Or , there is always, the option of a sleeping bag under the the trailer with uncle 12 gauge. Stop them onsite and call the cops.

[Dave O 15]

Leave a donation can . Sorry couldn't resist Mike

Mix it with something oily so when they start the machine up it will smoke really bad, and then you will have found them.

Then the rest is up to your imagination. Or just use sugar

[One Tough Pressure 580]

Problem here is that they know where you live, so if you were to mess up their stuff with whatever you choose to put in the cans, then it will never end.

They do deserve a real good whooping, but do not do anything that will make it worse than just losing gas.

[PressurePros 249]

The sugar in a gas tank ploy is a myth (Thank you Myth Busters) It doesn't do anything.

I don't know if it available in small quantities or even its chemical state at room temp but if you can get a hold of ethyl mercaptan (the stuff they add to propane in extremely minute amounts to give it an unpleasant odor) you could put it in a gas can. From what I understand a good wiff at a decent concentration can cause spontaneous wretching and affect motor ability.

Seeing a thief staggering around uncontrollably heaving in your driveway. Now THAT would make a great video!

[Washaway 64]

Mike you need to teach them a lesson with the naked end of a broom stick.

What ever business he is in I'm sure that he can't perform services with a cracked shin or two.

I'll add that I am dead serious!!

[Deck Guy 14]

The moth balls is the best because it doesn't work immediately. It may take weeks depending on how much they drive. They'll never know what caused it.

[Paul Kassander 26]

I like the snakes idea. I think One Tough Pressure is right though, be careful if they are willing to steal the gas off your trailer more than once they might be willing to do more to your property. Plus if they don't steal it what are you going to do with the bad gas?

[mas3372 14]

Moth balls!!

Or wait in the tree and shoot bottle rockets at them while they are pouring.

[Celeste 341]

Paint ball them!!! (The thieves that is :))

[Washaway 64]

A smart thieve would not return more than once. (but who said that stealing is a smart thing).

If they've come back twice they WILL come back again, and again and again UNTILL you teach them a lesson.

Quick, effective, painful and to the point.

[juan 14]

Mike You better Of letting the LAW Deal With them...Sorry to Hear That people always Stealing from hard working Gents Like Us!

[PressurePros 249]

PS: The mothball thing is another myth like the sugar.

One last note: Here is the world we live in. When I was a kid we had a neighbor whom owned a nice landscaping outfit. He parked his trailers and trucks at his commercial property. Well one night, he must have gotten done late and pulled a trailer into the driveway. Some kids took the gas can and procceded to ignite the gasoline on the ground until of course it flashed uncontrollably and one of the children was hurt very badly. The parents sued my neighbor for having an "attractive nuisance" and was negligent for not having the gas cans locked away. They won.

I believe everything happens for a reason. Maybe this a swift kick letting you know to start locking them up at night in a shed.

[wesley 15]

Along the same lines as Ken's post, An enclosed trailer can also keep away theifs and keep kids from being kids. It's sad but Ken's right if someone gets hurt it will all fall back on North Florida Pressure Washing.

[Mike Williamson 198]

PS: The mothball thing is another myth like the sugar.

One last note: Here is the world we live in. When I was a kid we had a neighbor whom owned a nice landscaping outfit. He parked his trailers and trucks at his commercial property. Well one night, he must have gotten done late and pulled a trailer into the driveway. Some kids took the gas can and procceded to ignite the gasoline on the ground until of course it flashed uncontrollably and one of the children was hurt very badly. The parents sued my neighbor for having an "attractive nuisance" and was negligent for not having the gas cans locked away. They won.

I believe everything happens for a reason. Maybe this a swift kick letting you know to start locking them up at night in a shed.

I think a simple locking toolbox will do the trick. While it would be nice to do something back, Alan has a good point...this idiot knows where I live, and if he's stupid enough to come back a 2nd time in less than a week, then he's stupid enough to, well, do something really stupid if I make him mad by ruining a car/truck motor or other equipment.

The problem with catching him is that I like my sleep! I'd have to literally sit up all night hoping he tries again that night. I need a locking toolbox anyway, so I'll just go that route. This is a pretty rural, redneck area, and it is pretty defiinitely somone who lives out here, or visits someone frequently. You don't come out here by accident! I have a feeling I know who it is, but proving it is another thing....

I do have an enclosed trailer, but I like working with the open rig...Much easier to access everything. With a locking toolbox and the cable locks I have, I should be able to better secure everything.

I do like the paintball gun idea tho...

[Washaway 64]

Mike,

Try stopping him next time you see him and ask him if he's had problem's with theft himself.

Then proceed to tell him what happened with you and that you've put out dummy cans with contaminated gas in it.

If it's him he'll never steal from you again.

[Mike Williamson 198]

Mike,

Try stopping him next time you see him and ask him if he's had problem's with theft himself.

Then proceed to tell him what happened with you and that you've put out dummy cans with contaminated gas in it.

If it's him he'll never steal from you again.

I've thought of both those...Warning him that there's a chicken**** thief around stealing gas, so he ought to make sure he doesn't leave any out. I also thought about leaving a little note telling this idiot that "Yes, there are 3 five gallon cans here. One of them has an undetectable additive that will ruin your engine. Feel free to take your chances"

I also thought about leaving him a bill for the gas and cans. LOL!

[Washaway 64]

alright, fine. I think we've been the horse to a pulp :)

[TNT Pressure Washing 14]

Just my 2 cents....Like they said on Tin Cup, a 7 iron is the perfect club :)

[McMoo 14]

Mike I understand your frustration. I think your best bet is to first contact the law. Have them make an incident report (they will not want to, but will if you insist). This way you will have it on record. Then personally I would either do my own stakeout, or the sugar the gas if you don't have the time to stay up for nights at a time. MythBusters is wrong. I have worked reports (ex-cop) and had my own vehicle sugared. It will lock up the engine. Good luck!

[Grime Dawg 14]

Go to a local weld shop and see if they will let you get some floor sweepings.

This should be a mixture of metal (mostly steel/iron) and grinding wheel dust.

This would DEFINATELY not be good for any engine. Dump it in the gas and let them have it.

ALSO:

If you don't want to stay up all night, rig yourself up a cheap 12VDC alarm system.

Hook up a N/C (normally closed) micro-switch under the gas can (should be able to get one from the hardware store or Radio Shack).

This gets hooked to a 12V battery and then to some kind of 12 V horn or siren. Cover the wire with dirt or something else to conceal it.

As soon as they lift up the gas can, WOW-WOW-WOW-WOW.

Grab your flashlight and baseball bat and go introduce yourself to them.

[Mike Williamson 198]

If you don't want to stay up all night, rig yourself up a cheap 12VDC alarm system.

Hook up a N/C (normally closed) micro-switch under the gas can (should be able to get one from the hardware store or Radio Shack).

This gets hooked to a 12V battery and then to some kind of 12 V horn or siren. Cover the wire with dirt or something else to conceal it.

As soon as they lift up the gas can, WOW-WOW-WOW-WOW.

Grab your flashlight and baseball bat and go introduce yourself to them.

This was another thought...Thanks for the details on how to do it. Maybe I'll just swing by radio shack tomorrow.

I also thought of wiring floodlights to the system. Lights and siren.

[newlook 265]

Would love to see the thiefs expression when the lights and sirens go off.