ROSEVILLE, Calif. — Shocking video posted online shows a man caught on camera swapping gas pumps at an AMPM station.
What happens is you *think* you’re putting gas into your car, but the alleged thief has your nozzle and is putting gas into their car while you’re paying for it.
Roseville police are warning of a possible increase in gas theft.
“They, on the other side of the island, are actually using your nozzle to steal gas. We’ve seen a few cases historically where this has worked and we have been able to fortunately catch people,” said Rob Baquera with Roseville Police.
In 2019, Roseville police arrested a man for pulling off the same scheme at least a dozen times. Police suggest taking a moment to verify the hose is connected to the right pump.
Baquera says a spike in gas prices also leads to a spike in gas theft.
“Either through your gas cap, or potentially cutting a hole in your gas tank to drain that fuel out,” he said.
So, what can you do to protect your property? Park in well-lit areas, and when it comes to the gas pump swapping scheme, keep in mind your hose nozzle will always be on the same side as the holster and the hose will never cross over the pump.
Meanwhile, we have some good news about the pain at the pump… Patrick DeHaan (aka the GasBuddy Guy) says crude oil has dropped below $100 a barrel, meaning the national average of gas could fall 35-50 cents in the weeks ahead.
He also says California’s average gas prices are likely to fall under $6/gallon in the next few weeks as long as there are no refinery issues.
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