Vehicle gas thief suspect flees Fresno business parking lot, leaving big mess behind

First it was catalytic converters getting stolen. Now, Fresno drivers have to worry about someone ruining their vehicle’s gas tank to steal gasoline.

That’s what happened Wednesday at Regency Property Management in the 300 block of West Shields Avenue, where an employee arrived about 8:30 a.m. to find a man under a company truck.

It turned out the suspect, who ran when confronted, was stealing fuel from the pickup. When he fled, he left behind a plastic jug and an estimated 20 gallons of gasoline in a puddle in the parking lot. Firefighters arrived to deal with the hazardous and explosive mess.

Manager Brad Hardie said the thief used a screwdriver to puncture the tank. It’s happened to the business before, and the last time, it cost more than $1,000 to repair the vehicle because the tank could not be patched, and needed to be replaced.

Fresno Fire investigator Jay Tracy said the crime has happened before in the city, but so far it isn’t a widespread trend. However, reports of the crime are widespread around the nation, possibly driven by rising gasoline prices.