SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A hole no wider than a pinky cost more than $1,700 to repair a gas tank after someone brazenly drilled into the gas tank, according to the victim who lives in Sacramento’s Tahoe Park neighborhood.
Molly Tash was headed for ice cream with her niece and nephew when she noticed her 2013 Dodge pick-up truck was out of fuel. She told ABC10 that her nephew alerted her of a strong smell of gasoline when the family decided to inspect further.
“We were parked right here on the street and we’d driven up just a little bit farther and we got out,” Tash said. “And you can see down here on the ground, there was a ton of leaked gas.”
A dark stain where her truck was parked is still visible along 58th Street where her truck was parked.
Tash has comprehensive insurance coverage on the vehicle, which covered the costs of the damages after she paid a $500 deductible. The total cost of replacing her gas tank came at the tune of more than $1,700.
Area mechanics say drilling into a gas tank is costly and dangerous. Hector De Haro is the manager of the John Ellis and Son auto shop in downtown Sacramento. He says this is at least the fourth drilled gas tank his shop received for repairs this week.
The costs can vary by vehicle, but typically run more than $1,300 to replace a gas tank, De Haro said. A vehicle’s fuel tank must be replaced because they’re typically made of plastic and due to safety concerns.
“We’ve been seeing a lot of it, mostly pickup trucks because they do sit a little bit higher,” De Haro said.
The fuel tank of trucks is easier to access and often contains more fuel than smaller cars, making them a target for thieves.
Unlike specialty plates made to protect against catalytic converter thefts, there are no such protections for gas tanks. Much newer vehicles have devices that prevent fuel from being siphoned, however, nothing is available to protect from someone drilling into a gas tank.
There are more simple ways to protect yourself and your vehicle from these types of crimes and related damages, said Insurance Agent Barbara Etrick, with State Farm Insurance.
“Always Park in a well-lit area,” Etrick said.
Your fuel door should be parked facing the main street, so it is most visible to the public, she said. Consider a locking fuel cap to prevent siphoning and consult with your car insurance agent to see what coverage is available to you.
Etrick says most comprehensive car insurance plans should cover this type of damage from theft.
If you have fallen victim to fuel theft and are filing a claim, Etrick says you’ll want to have photos, detailed information about the incident, and a police report.
