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  1. #1
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    To Catch a Gas Thief

    Some a-hole has been stealing gas from our company trucks over the weekend. It's now three straight weeks in a row. Two weeks ago, someone saw the perp and called it in. Police showed within 3 minutes but he was already gone. So, this weekend I'll be doing a stakeout at my office. I'm guessing the guy is a drug addict based on the description given to the cops. I'm also pretty sure I know where he is parking his vehicle while he's siphoning the gas. He's parking in the lot behind our building. It's mostly screened by trees. The witness said he was carrying 2 five gallon containers. That 80 lbs if they are full. He's not going to be running.

    I've decided I'll call 911 with name, and location. I'm going to tell them I'm going out to confront them and hang up. Now, here's the question, what is next after the phone call? I really don't want to get into a gun situation over $40 of gas. But I also can't afford to hassle with the gas situation every week. Mondays are tough enough without having to deal with this shiat. I tried a locking gas cap; he just pried it off. He needs to get popped. What can I do to ensure that happens.

  2. #2
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    One of my colleagues is a deer hunter. He has several small digital cameras he bought at Cabela's, the fishing and hunting retail chain, that are designed to photograph deer and other critters when they trip a light beam. He places them next to deer feeding stations he has set up. The small ones cost about a hundred bucks and work with ambient light. If I were you, I'd stick one on a wall next to one of the trucks and get a few shots of the perp. Pass the photos out to the local cops and you should be good to go. If that doesn't work, there's always a camoflaged hide, night vision, a good rifle with sub-sonic ammo, and a body bag.
    Mostly Taylormade clubs now except for two Ping I25 hybrids, Mizuno 54 & Callaway 56 wedges.

  3. #3
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    I spoke to the officer about video and camera's. He said in his 12 years of being a beat cop, he's only had a couple of times that a photo helped catch a thief. Most photo's show a man in a hoodie, blue jeans and a pair a white sneakers. He did say that once they are caught, the video is great evidence, especially with an eyewitness to identify the perp. Maybe I should set up a camera and video him.

  4. #4
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    Poe,

    You may not listen to this but here is my suggestion. Do not camp out waiting for this to happen. You could get yourself killed. We're talking gas here.

    My suggestion is to put a sign over each gas cap with a note written that says "we are video taping you right now. We know your license plate and if you ever come back you won't walk out of here"

  5. #5
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    I agree with FD. You could easily find yourself in a Zimmerman situation.
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  6. #6
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    I hear you FD - I wouldn't confront the dude. I'd basically be sitting in a dark office listening to pandora and call 911 the minute he shows. I'll be able to watch him through tinted glass and he won't see a thing. I have nothing to prove, especially for gas. But that said, someone will have to call this in to get the cops in route. I'll video tape it but other than that I doubt I'll do anything else. I wrote off the first two times but the fact that he is doing every week suggests that with a little effort I might be able to get him caught. I feel it's kind of a civil duty to try to catch someone like this. Who knows, in the future someone might surprise him, which could lead to a violent crime.

    I thought of putting a message that reads "smile you're on video" but since he was almost caught and still came right back, I doubt he'll flinch.

    The only other thing I could do is put a GPS tracker, which I already own, on his car. Since he's parking it off site, and my office is on a side street, it will be pretty easy to figure out where he's parking. But that requires me to get out of the building and move toward danger. The other thing that came to mind is disabling his car. A wire cutter through a tire valve stem will make a tire flat in a few seconds. It'll also make a ton of noise which wouldn't be good.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Horseballs View Post
    I agree with FD. You could easily find yourself in a Zimmerman situation.
    Doubtful, my temperament is about 180* of Z'man. While he pursued and followed. I'd call and wait. I'm not getting anywhere close to this dude.

  8. #8
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    Here's all you need to do, and it's cheap and quick so you won't be putting yourself at risk of a confrontation for long either.

    Grab a few really large potatoes and stuff them into the end of his exhaust pipes. He won't get far before the engine stalls and fails to restart, if it even starts at all. That should give the cops ample time to intercept and apprehend the perp, and you don't risk doing any damage to their vehicle and getting some vigilante vandalism charge laid on you.



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  9. #9
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    I work with Forestry guys and fuel theft is the no.1 problem when leaving trucks and machinery parked overnight in remote locations. So I feel your frustration. But I also agree with other comments. If you need to stake out your office just call the cops as soon as he appears and hope the cops show up in time to apprehend. Don't confront him yourself. Too dangerous over $40 gas.

    Good luck and be careful out there dude.
    I chose the road less traveled.

    Now where the f#ck am I?

  10. #10
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    I used to be pretty confrontational in situations like that. Then, my independent auto mechanic went out with a firearm one night after hearing the sound of metal being pulled apart. The trespasser grabbed the gun, they wrestled and the 20 year old perp got the back of his head shot off. I say that was a good result but Charlie the mechanic went to jail for 5 years, getting out on good behavior and prison overcrowding. He had no priors and an army of people that vouched for him.

    At his trial, a number of us helped as best we could but the courts hate it when you take enforcement of any kind instead of relying on the police, as hapless as they may be. The murder charge gets compromised into voluntary manslaughter by the jury and the judge then takes a s.hit on you.

    Yes, you aren't Zimmerman, you aren't Charlie, who by the way is just a prince of a guy, but emotions and vindictiveness are part of all of us. It's the rare individual who can maintain complete control when getting ripped off, particularly multiple times. You just don't know what can happen and how things can escalate. The downside is way more than lost gas.

    Say you f.uck the guy by catching him and getting a conviction. You may then have gained a mortal enemy.

    Just lock things up and, as hard as it is, accept that there are people like that. One less and a new one gets off the bus the next day. Sorry, I wish I could remember the line better from L.A. Confidential.

    You're an intelligent guy, I think you knew all this but at times we need others to help us say it out loud.
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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by FreakOfNature View Post
    Here's all you need to do, and it's cheap and quick so you won't be putting yourself at risk of a confrontation for long either.

    Grab a few really large potatoes and stuff them into the end of his exhaust pipes. He won't get far before the engine stalls and fails to restart, if it even starts at all. That should give the cops ample time to intercept and apprehend the perp, and you don't risk doing any damage to their vehicle and getting some vigilante vandalism charge laid on you.



    FON

    He's not going to fall for the potato in the tail pipe.

  12. #12
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    Jeez you guys. What a bunch of wussies. On the firearm thing, as I posted above, you don't confront the guy at all. Just get yourself a proximate hide and a rifle with sub-sonic ammo. A .22 rifle with light load LR's would work. When you see him start to remove a gas cap, shoot him as many times as it takes to ensure he isn't going anywhere. Then you can haul him into a secluded clearing in the woods and use some of that gasoline he was trying to pilfer and soak him with it and light him up. Hopefully, the locals won't bring in the heavy throw-weight forensics and the IDE will be made by dental records some weeks later. Do society a favor. End of problem.
    Mostly Taylormade clubs now except for two Ping I25 hybrids, Mizuno 54 & Callaway 56 wedges.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by mongrel View Post
    Jeez you guys. What a bunch of wussies. On the firearm thing, as I posted above, you don't confront the guy at all. Just get yourself a proximate hide and a rifle with sub-sonic ammo. A .22 rifle with light load LR's would work. When you see him start to remove a gas cap, shoot him as many times as it takes to ensure he isn't going anywhere. Then you can haul him into a secluded clearing in the woods and use some of that gasoline he was trying to pilfer and soak him with it and light him up. Hopefully, the locals won't bring in the heavy throw-weight forensics and the IDE will be made by dental records some weeks later. Do society a favor. End of problem.
    Well, if you must take more aggressive action, the most I'd recommend would be to rig up a sound system set to play John Philip Souza's Stars and Stripes Forever at 140 db the moment he begins to siphon. He ought to swallow enough gas to completely poison himself. You can stand over him while he convulses on the ground and give him a lecture on respecting the property of others.
    GR lives...

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by famousdavis66 View Post
    He's not going to fall for the potato in the tail pipe.
    Everyone falls for the potato in the tailpipe. You can't see it if you leave the peel on and shove it in there a little ways, and it will smother the engine if the seal is tight enough.



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  15. #15
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    If you have any trucks that run on diesel, just shuffle the parking lot so those will be the ones that he siphons. Will definitely cause some problems when he dumps that in the gas tank.
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  16. #16
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    Nope, no diesel. If I don't catch him I'll probably get a gas barrel and I pump and drain the tanks each weekend for a few weeks until he gets the point and looks for another victim.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kiwi Player View Post
    I work with Forestry guys and fuel theft is the no.1 problem when leaving trucks and machinery parked overnight in remote locations. So I feel your frustration. But I also agree with other comments. If you need to stake out your office just call the cops as soon as he appears and hope the cops show up in time to apprehend. Don't confront him yourself. Too dangerous over $40 gas.

    Good luck and be careful out there dude.
    This you Kiwi trying to wash your car? Good advice, then... That was me after I read your post.


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  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by spanqdoggie View Post
    This you Kiwi trying to wash your car? Good advice, then... That was me after I read your post.


    That's hilarious Spank. Where do you get this stuff?
    I chose the road less traveled.

    Now where the f#ck am I?

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kiwi Player View Post
    That's hilarious Spank. Where do you get this stuff?
    Why even wash your car if you look like that guy?

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by famousdavis66 View Post
    Why even wash your car if you look like that guy?
    Agree completely. To me he doesn't look any more ridiculous fumbling with stuff than if he were just standing there.
    GR lives...

  21. #21
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    That's not even his car. How can you tell? Its a mini-van, stoopid. And the bucket? Pink. No man worth balls would ever use a pink bucket anywhere outside where somebody else might see him. Like in the front of the house. Moron. So the reason he got so dis-combobulated was that it was not his idea to wash his wife's mini-van. That bi*tch made him do it and it got him so upset that he fumbled everything because he was in a hurry to get it done before any ot the neighborhood men might see him and make him the laughing stock through next NFL season. In fact, he really didn't even want to buy a house in this neighborhood because they all look the same and they are so close together on very small lots. But of course, well you can guess, who pressured him to buy the house. Wifey, again. So what's this guy to do next? Well, I would suggest getting on his bicycle and peddling over to Poe's shop and siphon a gallon and a half of that discount motion lotion Poe forces into his Rolling Stock and wheel it back to his driveway. Empty all that water out of the pink bucket and fill it with Poe Gas. Crack the windows of the van open and poor the bucket of gas on the mini-van making sure to get some into the inside. Wait about 30 seconds and then flick his Zippo and toss it onto the hood of the mini-van. Never have to wash it again. Guaranteed.
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  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kiwi Player View Post
    That's hilarious Spank. Where do you get this stuff?
    I pick some of these up sometimes during my travels on the internet. Usually sports related forums... Well, all sports related forums.

    It's not my fault God made me this beautiful.

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by spanqdoggie View Post
    I pick some of these up sometimes during my travels on the internet. Usually sports related forums... Well, all sports related forums.

    Do you even gif brah?

    Name:  tumblr_m66el4ld8f1rxkh8vo1_400.jpg
Views: 19
Size:  6.6 KB

    You misc.



    FON
    "The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be." - Bruce Lee

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  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by spanqdoggie View Post
    This you Kiwi trying to wash your car? Good advice, then... That was me after I read your post.


    If Americans were judged based on their local advertising, us internationals would assume none of you had ever been introduced to logic. Or acting.

    That's some Academy Award stuff right there.

    Up here in Canada, we get Peachtree TV out of Atlanta. Stuff like this is literally every single commercial. Thanks to Peachtree TV I have no worries about the South ever rising again.

    edit - an example:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJf_H35iyK4#t=62


    FON
    Last edited by FreakOfNature; 01-03-2014 at 02:09 AM.
    "The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be." - Bruce Lee

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  25. #25
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    What I don't understand about the video is the fact that it's not the least bit funny. It's an obvious acting job (and a bad one at that) so I really don't get how anyone could think that it's amusing. Even if it were real, who cares? Now, if the program was about poorly dressed Mid-Westerners, then they might be on to something.

    I'd rather watch some inline skating punk try to jump over a fence and do a face plant.

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