Seattle man warns drivers after thieves drill hole into his gas tank

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EVERETT, Wash. — A Seattle man is warning other drivers about gas theft after he went hiking with some friends on Saturday morning and came back Sunday night to an empty tank.

Avid hiker and adventurer Mitch Pittman said he parked in the South Everett Park and Ride in the morning to carpool with a group of friends.

It's not clear when thieves got to his SUV but on Sunday night his gas gauge was already empty and he figured he was siphoned.

It was not until he managed to get to the Chevron on 112th Street East to fill up that he noticed the gas going straight through and spilling on the ground.

"I heard gas just pouring out of the bottom and I was like, they drilled a hole," Pittman said.

KING 5 spoke with a gas station manager who confirmed Pittman was the second person to have the same issue this week.

He said he was lucky he was not at a trailhead and could at least get to a gas station, but still, the theft shocked him.

"I know that a lot of folks are having hard times and gas is really expensive too, so I figured it was stolen, but I had no idea people would go to this length to drill a hole in the gas tank to get it," Pittman said.

Gas prices in Washington may be down about $1 a gallon compared to last year, but Everett police said gas thefts are still a nuisance for drivers. Gas thefts have been a consistent problem but more so 5-6 months ago, although it's not clear how many cases of drilling and stealing there have been.

Police encourage drivers to park in a secure lot if they can and to park in a well-lit area.

Pittman said he managed to patch up the whole and file a police report for insurance, but the theft has him rethinking where he parks for his next hike.

"This is my first time parking at that park and ride, but we go to plenty of others on the way to Rainier or Snoqualmie Pass, so it's definitely pretty normal," Pittman said. "But I'll definitely be rethinking that now."