Growing crime: theft of gasoline

In the new reality of fuel prices inching uncomfortably close to eleven dollars a gallon, a disturbing trend has been affecting an increasing number of Belizean motorists: stolen gasoline. According to the Police Department, the crime is a persistent problem as victims often fail to report the crime and simply repair their vehicles, keeping fingers crossed that it won’t happen again. But this morning we spoke with one Belize City resident who says the situation has left him running on empty.

Israel Gonzalez, Victim of fuel theft
?Apparently they use a knife and go underneath the vehicle, the ones they could and they cut the hose. I mean we have to buy back that hose because I sell vehicles.?

Janelle Chanona
?And then they just suck it out??

Israel Gonzalez
?Yeah, apparently, they just suck it out with a hose or something like that. It?s about four vehicles they?ve done that to me already.?

Janelle Chanona
?Is there anything car owners can do to protect themselves from this??

Israel Gonzalez
?Well one of the things they can do is instead of having it on the street, is to have it locked up. But even at that, I have mine locked up here and they come, jump the fence and go in and they steal tyres, batteries, they cut the hose, break the glass, and thief out C.D.s. It?s terrible, I wish it can stop.?

Tonight we understand that high quality replacement hoses for damaged fuel lines can cost as much as a hundred dollars each.