Our Cognitive Surplus

Fuel cap cover open

I got up this morning to head to work. Did my morning thing, walked out to my car and was met by an unlikely scene. The fuel cap cover was open and the air stank of petrol. I’m worried that my window would be smashed or the car damaged, but no. My petrol was missing, nothing else. About half a tank, maybe $40 worth. Sort of sad really. I phoned the police – they weren’t interested.

Fuel tank drain plug missing

Annoyingly, to siphon out the petrol, they removed the plug in the base of the fuel tank. So it’s not just a matter of refilling him I need to get a new plug – which isn’t easy for a car approaching its 20th birthday. Basically I need to make one myself or troll wreckers yards – I think I’ll go the DIY option.

I’m amazed by the desperation of this crime. People are stalking the streets at night looking for old cars with a specific design of fuel tank so they can steal the petrol from them. It’s not exactly a risk-free or easy crime, and they’re only making $40~ a go. Is the petrol price really that much of a crisis? Are people being driven to crime by a rise of 50c per L? And how do I stop it happening again?

I’m amazed. Not angry. Just stunned.

Follow up

Mended

I’ve been running around trying to mend the plug. Losing fuel isn’t that bad, but the plug is a pain in the arse. Lucky it was metric (Jap car for the win) so I found a similar thread on a long bolt. I shortened the bolt so it didn’t interfere with my fuel float inside the tank and got an aluminum washer to give me a good seal. A rubber one would be corroded by the petrol. That seems to be working a dream.

Only question now is how I stop it happening again? I’m considering filing the bolt so that its round or using araldite to stick it in place. Problem is that if I do that no one will ever get it out. I guess that’s ok?

Final Edit

I took my advice, rounded the bolt and Araldited it to the fuel tank. Perhaps I’ll also need to do some trick parking really close to trees so no-one can get to my tank. Let’s hope this is the final word!