Fuel Theft

lindenengineering · Post by **lindenengineering** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 10:37 am

Hey Guys.
I don't suppose you folks have missed the fact that fuel prices for your Pinz are hovering up at about $3.00 per gallon.

I also don't suppose this will have more than an eyebrow raiser in Europe where its at about a quid a litre.

Nevertheless the fuel price rises I see here in Colorado go hand in glove with fuel theft. Modern cars with their fuel tank neck restrictor arrangemenets make "milking" a chore or just too difficult, but a Pinz is an open invitation to enjoy free fuel.
OK I can here some of you saying "No Problem" I've got a locking gas cap. That we have found out is no impediment, armed with a set of channelocks the cap can be torn off with all the contingent damage to contend with.
Then we have Mr "I'm getting it no matter what". The guy that knifes open the canopy on a locked door, cuts through the convoluted outer tube connector with his "Swiss Army" and milks it through the hole in the inner filler tube.
Total time to suck it dry is eight minutes & thirty seconds. Filmed by CCTV

Taking a leaf out of the Brit truckers handbook I am introducing an anti milking insert for the Pinz and Volvo fuel tank and a protector for that expensive convoluted boot just inside the cab.

I will be posting some piccies on the site showing the installation going into my 710m. Any comments or interesting similar experiences will be received with sympathy.
Dennis
Linden Engineering Inc

SteveInNC · Post by **SteveInNC** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 4:40 pm

I always kind of liked the James Bond "theft proof car" concept...

Lightningpinz · Post by **Lightningpinz** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:14 pm

Oh NO, I prefer the robocop lethal force car alarm. Remember the beginning of the movie. ZZZaaaaaaPPPPP!

Pinz Enthusiast · Post by **Pinz Enthusiast** » Mon May 08, 2006 10:32 pm

I second everything Dennis said about the fuel & theft isue, I for one have turned my jerry can around so the nozel end is at the back of the holder as well as adding a padalock, I know it's not a sure thing but at the least it will slow down opportunists from making off with let's see last week it cost me $17.00 to fill the stock can with 87 octane, can you say $3.54 a gallon, a fill up with jerry can cost $84.00 so let's do all we can to keep what we paid for.....

Twebba · Post by **Twebba** » Tue May 09, 2006 1:21 am

Speaking of that...

Dennis, I know you guys have been pretty busy lately.
Any word on when the inserts will be publicly available?
Also, what will these little buggers cost?

I've been checking your site in hopes of finding the installation on your 710M .

Hope all is well!

mjnims · Post by **mjnims** » Tue May 09, 2006 9:37 am

I would be carefull how far you go to save the gas. If you remember the 70's and the fuel shortage and realize our close proximity to the border then you can remember that the gas theives will damage the trucks at all cost to get the fuel out. We had several work trucks that they simply drove screw drivers through to get the gas out after we install locking caps on the trucks. This was more costly than replacing the fuel that they had been taking prior. I can't imagine the damage they could do to the soft sides of a Pinz tank. I know they have drain plugs but the thieves don't really care to save your tank they just want the fuel NOW!. Obviously with the locking gas caps and the like we are hoping to make them move along to the next vehicle but if you park your truck in a place that is secluded or unprotected they will take the time to bypass whatever you do to try to stop them. This usually results in more damage than just replacing the lost fuel. Sad but just a way of life as long as we are not allowed to use suitable force to stop thieves.

Scooter · Post by **Scooter** » Tue May 09, 2006 7:15 pm

I second that. I would rather loose a tank of gas rather than replace a tank. I am sure the insurance company will not cover it and my deductable wont.

My dad always saya, locks are for keeping the honest people out. The real criminal will do what ever it takes to get what he wants.

Scooter.

PittsPinz · Post by **PittsPinz** » Fri May 12, 2006 8:39 am

I ran out of gas after 97km?????????
We had been on vacation for 2 weeks & Pinz was full before I left.
Gas gauge is broken (maybe this was a sign to fix it - I wonder if Chinaman's Gulch had anything to do w/this problem?).
Pinz was under a carport, locking gas cap and I park the gas cap side along a hedge that they could not get thru!
I wondered if someone unscrewed the drain plug but I could never find any sign of that & it was tight.
Go figure?