Thieves begin drilling into fuel tanks to steal gas as prices soar in Manitoba

Spikes in fuel costs are pushing some to steal or siphon gas, highlighting the growing financial strain. Alex Karpa reports.

BLUMENORT, Man. - With rising gas prices, some people are turning to unconventional ways to get their hands on fuel.

Mechanic John Janzen says he’s seen an uptick of vehicles come into his shop in recent months, all with the same problem: damaged fuel tanks.

Janzen, who is the owner of Janzen Garage in Blumenort, Man., about 56 km southeast of Winnipeg, says people drill holes into fuel tanks with the intention of stealing gas directly from vehicles.

“It’s very accessible,” he said. “They’ll take a hole saw, they’ll drill it in and they’ll stick a pipe in with a transfer pump, and it’s done in minutes.”

While the repair process is relatively straightforward, Janzen says it is also costly.

“We have to take the tank out, which on a lot of vehicles is two-to-three hours of labour, and then we have to bring it to a special place where they weld them, and we have to put it back in,” he said.

He says vans and trucks are most commonly targeted because their height makes it easier for someone to get underneath.

“It’s not the same car every time,” he said.

Theft impacting local businesses

Julianna Bartel says two of the trucks at her business were recently targeted.

“We came to work in the morning and tried to fire up a truck, and it was making some weird sound,” said Bartel, who is the director of quotes and marketing at Prairie Accent, which is located just northwest of Blumenort.

“The guys went underneath the vehicle because we assumed our gas tank was drilled and that’s exactly what had happened.”

Bartel says both trucks had large holes drilled into their gas tanks while parked at the business, and the fuel was drained.

She says the damage has cost the company hundreds of dollars.

“It’s around like $200 to $300 per time to get each tank fixed, plus getting the vehicles there. So, sometimes you have to tow it there, which is unfortunate, but sometimes you’re able to drive it depend on how much gas is left in it,” she said.

But Bartel says this isn’t the first time something like this has happened to them. She says the trucks at the business she works at have been targeted three times this year.

“It’s just such a huge inconvenience for everyone,” she said. “At this point, you’re probably better off just leaving a jerry can parked next to the vehicle saying, ‘please take me, don’t drill our tank.’”

“The gas in there (the vehicle) is not even worth as much as what the damages are causing, so it’s like, if you just take our gas, at least save our vehicles.”

Bartel says her business has upgraded their security systems to try and prevent further crime, but she says nothing is being done to combat this.

Fairly common type of theft: RCMP

Manitoba RCMP say these thefts are not just hitting businesses and homes in the rural areas, but inside towns, like Blumenort, as well.

Police are sharing a message with how best to protect your vehicles.

“The best advice RCMP can give is to park your vehicle in a well-lit place, avoid parking in a dark spot on your property,” a spokesperson said.

“Having cameras installed on your property is also a good deterrent, and a reminder for residents to report these incidents to their local RCMP detachment when they occur.”

Similar incidents have also been reported outside of Manitoba.

Earlier this year, a suspect in B.C.’s interior drilled into a gas tank and stole fuel from a pickup truck, prompting a police investigation. Cases have also been reported recently in the United States.

As gas prices continue to rise, with no clear indication of when they will drop, Janzen says he expects the issue could get worse.

“It happens so fast, and they are in and out,” he said.

With the files from CTV News” Kristen Yu