As gas prices continue to climb in Calgary, some thieves are going to great lengths to steal fuel from unsuspecting drivers.
CTV Calgary has found several incidents over the past year in which brazen thieves had stolen fuel by drilling holes into the gas tanks of parked cars.
Calgary police say the most recent gas tank drilling incident was reported on April 26, at a northwest Calgary location.
The cost of replacing a damaged gas tank can range from $1,500 to $2,500. Additional costs include getting a vehicle towed to a repair shop, and fixing any other damages caused by the fuel theft, Scott Brockway, the owner of Glen Meadows Auto Service, said.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had four (vehicles) that we鈥檝e had called about and three that we鈥檝e actually repaired,鈥� he said.
On Wednesday, the average gas price in Calgary was $1.26 per litre, an increase of nearly 27 cents compared to May, 2017.
The increasing gas prices have also coincided with the number of 鈥済as-and-dash鈥� incidents, in which drivers fill up their vehicles at gas stations and take off without paying.
According to Calgary police, there were 291 鈥済as-and-dash鈥� incidents in the first quarter of 2018, a 21 per cent increase over the same time period in 2017.
Since 鈥済as-and-dash鈥� thieves are 鈥渓ooking to obtain the gas and leave quickly 鈥� it could be that employees and other patrons could be in harm鈥檚 way,鈥� said Staff Sgt. Graeme Smiley of the Calgary Police Service.
A new law in Alberta mandating pre-payment for fuel is set to kick in on June 1, and it could offer a solution to the problem. Starting next month, customers will need to pay at the pump or deposit either cash or a credit card with the gas retailer before fueling up.
鈥淲e certainly welcome this change in legislation which will very much hamper the ability for criminals to steal gas at the pump,鈥� Smiley said.
With a report from CTV Calgary's Jordan Kanygin
