Northwest Indiana Bureau

Crime Of The Times: Diesel Stolen From Trucks

VALPARAISO, Ind. (CBS) ― It's a crime of the times. With gas prices skyrocketing, area police report an increase in thefts of fuel.

So far this year, thieves hit eight truckers at one gas station in Valparaiso, Ind., alone, to the tune of more than $4,000.

CBS 2 Northwest Indiana Bureau Chief Pamela Jones reports Barjinder Singh pays $1,100 for gas to run his truck from New Jersey to Chicago. He says it used to cost $800. His cost rose with diesel fuel prices.

And now another cost of business -- criminals stealing from $300 to more than $600 worth of fuel from truckers' tanks.

It's a loss that could run some drivers out of business.

"I could run it maybe for a few months, not more than that," one driver said.

It happened to three truckers at a Pilot truck stop off U.S. 30 on Sunday. Police are still trying to figure out how.

"We don't know," said Chris Eckert of the Porter Co. Sheriff's Department. "We don't know if they're siphoning it manually or if they've got an electric pump hooked up. I mean they're not removing five or 10 gallons, they're removing hundreds of gallons."

He says the truckers parked there to sleep, and that it's an area that's not well lit with no security guard.

"It's going to get worse. It's going to get worse," said truck driver Russell Dixon.

Dixon wasn't surprised to hear of the thefts.

"I used to drive a tanker and I had a lot of people coming up to me saying 'hey can I have some gas?' I'm like, 'no,'" Dixon said.

He fears high gas prices will spur more criminals to strike the tankers that deliver fuel, too.

Police say criminals are stealing gas from tanks at construction sites - and from cars, too.

The sheriff's department has some tips to help protect your gas tank. Park in a well-lit area. And you might want to shop for a locking gas cap to keep would be thieves from tapping in. You can find locking gas caps online for just about any make and model of car. Basic ones sell for anywhere between $10 and $30.

(CBS 2 and the Post-Tribune are news partners covering stories in the communities of northwest Indiana. Send story tips to tips@cbs2chicago.com. (© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

---