Police: Gas Siphoning Incidents Reported by Residents

St. Charles police are warning residents about a series of gas siphoning incidents earlier in March.

From a St. Charles Police Department media release dated March 25:

The owner of a 2008 GMC SUV who lives on Secretariat Court was a victim on two separate occasions—on March 14 and again on March 18. The time of occurrence for both of the incidents was sometime between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. (In the second incident,) the victim had just filled up the vehicle. The victim estimates that a total of 44 gallons of gasoline was taken in the two incidents. The vehicle was parked at the end of the driveway.

On March 20, the St. Charles Police Department took a report of a theft from a vehicle that was parked during the weekend in a driveway in the 2600 block of Royal St. George Court. The victim reported that a total of 22 gallons of gasoline was siphoned from his Ford Expedition SUV while it was parked near the end of his driveway.

Officers have increased nighttime patrols in the residential areas to locate any possible offenders in the thefts. Citizens should also take some precautions to minimize their chances of becoming a victim; vehicles should be parked inside of a garage when ever possible if they are available. If a vehicle is parked on the driveway, it should be secured in a well-lit area close to the residence. A locking gas cap can also be purchased from area auto supply stores to deter future thefts.