Drilling into fuel tanks to steal gasoline happening again in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Dane Robinson faces a repair bill of $2,000 after her vehicle was damaged last weekend during the theft of gasoline outside her home.

"I would just ask why (they did it)," she said. "I'd like to know more about that. Maybe I could have helped them."

Robinson believes the crime happened overnight Saturday while her 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee was parked in her driveway in the 6500 block of Graymont Drive on the city's northeast side.

She said that she first noticed gasoline leaking from under her vehicle when she drove to work on Sunday. She then drove it to a repair shop and left it there to be checked out the next day.

"I took pictures and saw that the fuel line was cut," she said. "It wasn't until the next day that the repair shop told me that someone also had drilled into the fuel tank. I was shocked. Who would do that, and why?"

Robinson filed a police report online and is waiting to learn whether her insurance company covers the damage.

"If it is covered, I'd still have to pay a $1,000 deductible," she said. "That's better than $2,000, but it's hard to afford during this COVID-19 pandemic. I may have to sell my photography equipment -- and I'm in the running for a photography award in the Best of the Springs competition."

It's unclear if there are other victims in Robinson's neighborhood.

KRDO NewsChannel 13 reported on a rash of this kind of theft in February 2020 that targeted several private and commercial vehicle owners on the city's southwest side.

Because many fuel tanks are plastic instead of metal, patching drill holes often is ineffective and the tanks must be replaced. But spare fuel tanks are in limited supply.

Robinson said that she's at a loss to determine how to avoid being a victim of this type of crime, and that she's going to increase lighting around her home.