Gas stolen from Deltona vehicles

DELTONA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Some residents in the Providence Blvd corridor of Deltona said they woke up Friday to find gas stolen from their vehicle’s tanks.

Derek Walker said he filled his pickup truck’s tank to full just before returning home Thursday night, but turned on the vehicle Friday morning to find about a quarter of the tank empty and no leaks. He only checked though after being alerted by another neighbor on the block who woke to find his freshly-fueled truck completely empty.

"He filled his truck for $40 and they took all of it,” said Walker.

Walker said he and his neighbor began alerting others and posted the situation on neighborhood social media pages to alert others of the potential theft. Walker believes the fuel was likely siphoned out.

Walker said he and the neighbor did not report their situations to police due to the small dollar amount stolen and what they figured would be a difficult crime to catch. They decided to simply cut their losses.

A representative for the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office urges residents to call in and report the crime no matter how low the dollar amount. Deputies said they have chased $30 gas thefts in the past and, as recently as a month ago, caught a suspect in such a case.

A local auto parts expert said there are also gas caps available that lock into vehicles with a key; acting as a deterrent to this exact crime. Those caps run about $15.