PETROL THIEVES

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1940, Page 6

PETROL THIEVES

IN WELLINGTON

(Per Press Association —Copyri'ght)

WELLINGTON, July 13

Petrol thieving in Wellington is reported to have reached disturbing proportions following- the - introduction of war-time restrictions.

The thieving has been going on for some time, and during the last week all garages in several streets of Brooklyn and Newtown have been raided systematically. The thieves enter bv shearing through the padlock used on most garage .doors On Mqnday and Tuesday .nights, when they dealt- with Wallace, Findlay and Wright streets, they were frustrated .once only, and then by .a garage with, a double lock. Once inside, their process is comparatively- simple. In almost every case the tank cap has been left intact, but the plug underneath the tank has been removed and the .petrol drained oft. In some cases the petrol has been siphoned out through the. tank cap, which can be easily accomplished. Mein street in Newtown, was visited on Thursday night, and all car tanks were drained. =

The proprietor of the Brooklyn service station, Mr J. H. Simons; was a heavy loser when the caps of his underground -store tanks were removed recently, and about 60 gallons of -petrol was drawn ? out. -The - thefts have been reported to the police* and investigations are being l made, but as yet' there has been no arrest Mr. E. A. Batt, chairman of the Automobile Association, said last right - thajt numerous complaints' had 'been received lately by the- association, and that all ers had been advised to instal good, 1 locks on garages and safety devices on their petrol tanks. The usual method of Mocking car tanks was -by I lock and key, but it was remarkable the number of motorists who used nolocks at all.

Mr Batt said that the best safety device was an electric tank lock, which was burglar-proof. This lock consisted of an electric wire attached to the tank cap and leading to the dashboard, on which was a secret switch which must be manipulated before the tank cap could be removed. ~ ;iA!pparetitiy devised\vhercib>y the .»plug:. tanks'.may be locked, and the tic;n .is aggravated’-bv. the:;; shortage ofgarages in Wellington. Many carsare regularly parked iiv - the■streets overnight, and. obviously, ~eypn, a cap lock would not frustrate the efforts "of the thieves. . . ' v -:'"'r:V.:r