Across Twin Cities, thieves using electric drills to drain gasoline as prices rise

MN thieves drilling gas tanks at night

With gas prices soaring past four dollars a gallon across the Twin Cities, thieves are finding destructive new ways to steal fuel. Police in Minneapolis and St. Paul are investigating at least 19 combined cases of criminals using power drills to drain gas tanks, often targeting trucks parked on the street in the dark of night.

(FOX 9) - Rising gas prices are top of mind for drivers as more pennies spell more pain at the pump. Across the Twin Cities metro, criminals are causing a new problem that costs a lot more than a tank of gas.

Gas tanks drained

What we know:

You can still see the spot on the street where thieves spilled gas, using an electric drill to puncture and steal gallons from John Holzem's truck.

"They must have had a container under there," Holzem told FOX 9.

The longtime St. Paul resident only noticed there was an issue when his car stopped on the highway in Blaine a few weeks ago.

"Just siphoning... I wish they would have done that! People drilling holes into gas tanks, it's costing people a lot of money to get fixed," said Holzem.

Drilled gas tanks in the Twin Cities metro. (FOX 9)

By the numbers:

A St. Paul Police spokesperson says their department has taken 7 reports of similar crimes over the last 6 weeks, adding they believe the problem is being underreported.

Over in Minneapolis, police are investigating at least 12 cases involving drilled gas tanks since the start of the year, an average of about 4 per month.

In all, Holzem's repair cost around $600, but depending on the make and model of your car, it can cost thousands to fix, according to St. Paul Automotive.

What you can do:

Since thieves are using electric drills, there's not a lot you can do to protect your vehicle, besides parking it in a locked garage. Full coverage automobile insurance plans typically cover the cost of these repairs, but you will want to check your individual policy to make sure.