Van Discovered With Gas Siphon System, but Cops Can’t Bust Driver-Why?

When somebody is in possession of drug paraphernalia, they get popped. When somebody's in possession of known stolen property, same deal. But in this case, an obvious gas theft was prevented although the cops couldn't arrest the suspect.

Wednesday night, while conducting extra patrols near the Ben Franklin ride share station by Flattop Park, West Richland police saw a van pull into the parking lot, turn off his lights, and drive towards the BFT Ride Share vans.

The police approached after the man had parked, and observed he had a plastic siphon tube sticking out of the window, running down into his gas tank. It had been modified to allow the tube to enter through the cap and flap.

After confronting him about his unsafe driving habit, as the police said, they also told the man he had a very dangerous set up in the vehicle due to the hoses. Police noticed a gas siphoning system was sitting in his back seat. Hmmm.

It's pretty obvious what was going to happen if the cops weren't there--the guy was going to steal fuel from the Ride Share vans. BUT, because he didn't actually commit the crime, and it's not illegal to have a gas siphon system, all they could do was cite him for mechanical infractions and the unsafe driving and send him on his way.

We're 100 percent sure West Richland police thwarted a gas theft situation, one that given the number of BFT vans present, would have probably netted the suspect a lot of fuel.