Did Someone Cut Your Garden Hose? Here’s Probably Why
One summer a few years ago I went to water my grass. That's when I noticed that someone had cut the end of my garden hose off. I was pretty puzzled and couldn't figure out why someone would want to steal my nozzle. And why cut it? Why not just unthread it?
I went about my day while scratching my head, not thinking anything seriously was wrong. It wasn't until later that I was by the front of my house on the street when I noticed something was wrong with my wife's car. The fuel door was left open, and the cap was hanging off. Then it clicked. Some jerk needed gas, so they went to my backyard, cut the garden hose end off, and attempted to shove it into our car's gas tank so they could siphon out some.
You may think this is a strange, weird occurrence, and just a fluke, but it isn't. I've seen several times in the last couple of years where people have asked why someone would cut their garden hose on various community pages. People get desperate for gas when it gets to be expensive. And, for many various reasons, it's the highest gas has been in years.
Gas stations see more drive-offs as well when these prices start to go up.
Fortunately, most newer cars have screens inside the neck of the gas tank to prevent someone from getting the hose in to siphon. However, there's another way criminals tend to steal gas from larger vehicles. With trucks and SUVs that sit up high, criminals can sneak underneath and puncture your gas tank and drain gas that way. Not to mention they also might take a sawzall and steal your catalytic converter.
Parking in well-lit places can help against this stuff. Outdoor cameras and security lights are a good idea too.