Somebody Siphoning Gas in West Richland

Police say it's likely the perpetrator(s) were scared off, but it added to a growing list of incidents.

Three days ago West Richland police were called to West Richland Rentals on a report of suspected gas siphoning. At the scene police found numerous gas cans, and other tools used to pump fuel as well as break through locked gas caps.

This adds to a number of reports of suspicious activity and vehicles around the city. Several citizens have reported finding similar items near their vehicles. Police say most of the suspects were likely scared off by activity or the car owners themselves.

But they say it's a good idea to keep an eye on their cars, and if at all possible, use a locking gas cap. They say that alone will greatly discourage a gas thief.  It takes a number of minutes to get any meaningful amount of fuel out of a tank, and if the perpetrator has to spend even more time busting through a locked gas cap, they far more likely to move on to another vehicle.