Thieving fuel stealing truck drivers

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by codyschmidt, Apr 28, 2013.

  1. Pedigreed Bulldog

    Pedigreed Bulldog Road Train Member

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    Same trick works on an aluminum fuel tank. Some thieves are vindictive, and don't take too kindly to folks trying to keep them from getting what they want. If you've got it, they can get it...only question is how much time & money are you going to have to spend after the fact fixing the damage they cause before you can refill your tanks and get back on the road.
     
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  3. paul 1052

    paul 1052 Heavy Load Member

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    How is running over 300 miles a day outlaw?

    Some people would be fueling 3 times a day, that seems to be paranoia to an extreme.
     
  4. JimmyBones

    JimmyBones Heavy Load Member

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    It would be outlaw, if you're running like 15 mph. :p
     
  5. Sharpp

    Sharpp Medium Load Member

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    It's possible, but why would he bother? Lots of trucks with no protection at all. Yours?
     
  6. Pedigreed Bulldog

    Pedigreed Bulldog Road Train Member

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    It is no bother at all for them. Doesn't take but a second to knock a hole in the bottom of your fuel tank. If they decide to be "nice" about it and not destroy your fuel tank, they can remove the drain plug from the bottom of the tank in about as much time as it would take them to unscrew a non-locking fuel cap.

    If you have fuel in your tanks, and they want that fuel, they are going to get it. That "piece of mind" you think you have with those locking caps and anti-siphon inserts is a false sense of security. There isn't a legal-to-use gadget on the market that will stop them...so why waste your money?
     
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  7. xiipercent

    xiipercent Medium Load Member

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    How is running over 300 miles a day outlaw?
    Some people would be fueling 3 times a day, that seems to be paranoia to an extreme

    I don't recall claiming that 300 mpd is outlaw.

    I'll help with the thought process for you. If your days plan requires 750 miles, and you get 6mpg, then you'd only have to fuel 2x(50, 75 gallons) . your not going to have tons of time to stop and hang out getting that many miles.
    And remember, ---"But the real goal is to park it with roughly 50(or less) in the tank."
     
  8. Pedigreed Bulldog

    Pedigreed Bulldog Road Train Member

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    yeah...to PARK it with less than 50 gallons in the tank, NOT to ONLY have 50 gallons in the tank at any given point in time. If you've got twin 100's on your truck, pump 125-130 gallons in the morning, then drive your 750 miles, and at 6 mpg, you'd have about the same amount of fuel in your tanks when you park as you did when you pulled up to the pumps that morning. If you only have to drive 500 miles the next day, pump 85-90 gallons in the morning and roll. The gallons you buy depends upon how far you intend to go and the fuel mileage your truck gets....just buy what you'll need for that day and get on down the road.
     
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  9. Lepton1

    Lepton1 Road Train Member

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    Parking with low tanks is important to not be victimized. Never fill up and then park in the same lot. Fill up just before departure and work in your pretrip while you are at the pumps and/or pull through. You'll have better light for your inspection anyway. I always pop the hood to stand up for better leverage cleaning the windshield anyway, so I knock off the engine pretrip while I'm at it.

    If you really have to fill up and then park your rig, at least try to park between two trucks without any open spaces to either side. Parking with open spaces on either side after filling up is an open invitation for a fuel thief to observe you filling your tanks and leaving your truck, then they can park right next to you and get busy.
     
    DoneYourWay Thanks this.
  10. paul 1052

    paul 1052 Heavy Load Member

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    Hey guy, still got your REX?

    I may have posted this earlier in this thread.
    I've had locking fuel caps on my truck since just after Katrina and maybe 2 or 3 times have I woke up to find the lever flipped up to where maybe someone tried to get into a fuel tank.
    Never have I had a locking cap destroyed or lost fuel. And twin 150 tanks should be a tempting target.

    By nature thieves are lazy that's why they steal instead of work.
    It seems to me that punching a hole in a tank or pulling the drain plug would be awful messy, a lot more work to actually get the fuel into his tank and create more exposure than just moving on and finding another unlocked tank...that would have to be over 90% of the trucks parked anywhere.
     
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2013
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