As if Californians weren’t struggling enough from extreme gas prices, thieves are targeting the increasingly valuable commodity with uniquely nefarious methods.
Jacalyn Villalobos-Becerra, who lives in Long Beach, told The Post that a thief used a drill to empty her car’s gas tank late last month.
She said she discovered the hole in her tank as she was going to work early on March 31.
“I put my things in the car and closed the door and as soon as it shut, I heard something under my car,” she said.
“It was loud. I backed away because I thought it was a raccoon or skunk since they are common in the area. I flash my light and just see gasoline pouring out,” she added.
She shared picture showing a small, circular hole in her gas tank and a large, gasoline-stained splotch on the concrete.
“It smelled really bad,” Villalobos-Becerra said. “It still smells, actually.”
Another victim from Long Beach suffered a similar fate this week, posting a video on TikTok of a hole in his gas tank.
It’s that time again! People are drilling holes in Gas Tanks to steal your fuel. #Longbeach #fyp
“Yes sir, they drained all my gasoline Monday morning,” Jose Figueroa told The Post, adding he had to pay out of pocket for the repairs.
The driver also told Fox 11 that he heard “what sound[ed] like a faucet running” when he went to fill up his tank.
“I look down and there was gasoline all over,” he said.
The new scourge comes as Californians face paying the highest gas prices in the nation.
A gallon of regular gas in Los Angeles-Long Beach area cost an average of $6.015 as of Friday. For a smaller car with a 12-gallon gas tank, that would be about $72 worth of fuel on a full tank.
A truck like the 2025 Ford F-150 holds 36 gallons of gas — upping potential thieves’ haul to about $217 worth of gas on a full tank.
Costs also add up if victims need their tank replaced after being drilled. A new gas tank can cost more than $1,500, according to Repair Pal.
Figueroa, whos said the damage cost him about $1,000 in repairs, added that a tow truck driver told him he was the third car in the area to have their fuel tank drilled.
Commenters on his video said they also fell victim to the crime.
“Girl I’m in Long Beach too and this happened to me a week ago,” one wrote.
“So sorry this happened to you, happened to me as well,” another added. “$600 to fix.”
The California Post contacted the Long Beach Police Department for comment.
“We have enough worries,” Figueroa told Fox 11. “The last thing I want to worry about is someone stealing our gas.”
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