Car owners across the Denver suburbs say they are waking up to a nasty surprise: perfectly round holes in their gas tanks, fuel gauges on empty, and gasoline pooling beneath their parked cars. Thieves, investigators say, are using power drills to puncture tanks in and around Arapahoe County, leaving residents with hefty repair bills on top of the stolen fuel. Multiple reports are under investigation, and neighbors say they are on edge.
Thieves Drilling Tanks, Police Say
According to CBS News Colorado, several Arapahoe County victims told reporters they were “not surprised but annoyed and angry” after finding cleanly drilled holes in their gas tanks. In a video from the scene, frustrated drivers walk reporters through the damage while officers document the mess. Police have urged residents to keep an eye out for suspicious late-night activity around parked vehicles and to call it in rather than confront anyone themselves.
A Growing Trend Nationwide
Mechanics and insurance companies say these “drill-and-drain” gas thefts are popping up in cities across the country as pump prices climb, turning a quick grab for fuel into an expensive headache for car owners. A report in The Washington Post notes that repair shops in some areas are now seeing drilled tanks on a regular basis and that fixing the damage can cost into the thousands. Insurers told the outlet that comprehensive auto policies typically treat this as vandalism, which can cover the repairs in many cases.
Why Thieves Are Pivoting
Experts told The Washington Post that car design is partly to blame for the shift in tactics. Modern filler necks and anti-siphon baffles have made old-school hose siphoning much harder, so thieves are turning to power tools for a fast puncture and drain. “Let’s hope this is a short-lived phenomenon,” Brett Odom, a policy vice president at an insurance trade group, told the newspaper. Observers have compared the trend to past spikes in catalytic converter thefts, noting that the damage often costs far more than whatever the thieves walk away with.
How To Protect Your Car
Local officers recommend going back to basics: park in a garage when you can, choose well-lit spots when you cannot, and angle home security cameras to cover driveways or street parking, according to KRDO. Police say surveillance footage has helped them identify suspects in earlier Colorado cases and stress that drilling into someone else’s gas tank is treated as a felony. Anyone who finds a leak is urged not to start the car and to contact local law enforcement before moving the vehicle.
If you discover a hole in your tank or suddenly missing fuel, authorities and insurers suggest documenting everything with photos, calling your insurance company to ask about comprehensive coverage, and filing a report with your local police department. Officers say the public’s help is crucial and ask residents to report anyone seen working under vehicles at night, rather than assuming it is just a late repair job.
