Fuel theft: How to Stop it.

[12DrinkMore]

Some local thief has decided that my scooter is his personal filling station.

The first time I hoped that it was just somebody who had run out of fuel and needed a liter to get home. The second time I realised this was going to be a pain. This morning my tank has been drained once again. Three times in five days.

Bastard.

This has to stop.

Plan A was to fill my tank with sugar contaminated fuel. But after a bit of internetting this does not do the trick. The sugar does not dissolve in the fuel and simply gets caught by the fuel filter. I have not been able to find something to put into the fuel that will cause the thief's engine to seize up.

Plan B was to install a surveillance camera, but these cost a few thousand Baht, which is out of proportion to the 80 odd Baht's worth of fuel stolen each time.

Plan C is to install a fuel cut off valve somewhere in the fuel line.

Plan D is to drain the tank myself everyday, but that is also a pain.

Plan E is to bring the scooter into the house everyday, but that is also a pain.

Any better ideas?

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

spend the night awake and shoot the bastard when he comes back.

[Gsxrnz]

How is he getting it - syphon? Where's your gas tank lid?. Most are locked under a seat or hidden in some way.

[12DrinkMore]

Oh, I forgot to mention that the fuel is removed by pulling off the hose leading to the fuel on/off valve. Easily accessible.

Edited September 20, 2013 by 12DrinkMore

[JonnyF]

How about covering the hose in dog shit?

Or maybe leave some live electrical wires exposed in that area, not enough voltage to kill him of course...

[Gsxrnz]

How about covering the hose in dog shit?

Or maybe leave some live electrical wires exposed in that area, not enough voltage to kill him of course...

Unfortunately 12V DC ain't gonna kill diddly squat.

I'd say your best bet is doing a 50/50 diesel petrol mix in your tank overnight. It will look and smell like petrol, but will cause his engine to stop running, or at least run very badly due to poor atomisation and lower octane. Could do some internal damage as well. I doubt it will seize the engine unfortunately.

You'll have to clean out your tank thoroughly after you've done it though - bit of a nightmare. You could fit a dummy tank for the purpose under your seat and connect it to the carby so it looks legit. That would save you having to clean your tank and you could do it several nights in a row if he didn't get the message the first time.

Of course, he might take revenge on your bike with a sledge hammer.

Otherwise, try and fit a tap in the fuel line that is not easily accessible and turn the tap off every night. That way he'll just get a dribble from the fuel in the pipe.

[NBD]

A motion sensor floodlight usually deters such people. It might seem a bit over the top for a few bahts worth of petrol but if they keep getting away with it then they may get bolder and start taking more valuable stuff.

Or to be a bit more vindictive, how about a well placed trip wire? Gin trap? Land mines?

[NCC1701A]

i used really sharp fish hooks and epoxy...

[moe666]

Just put it in the house or get a small can of petrol place near the scooter after it has been properly contaminated he will pour this into his tank then his scooter, see what happens. I think just putting it into the house is probably easier.

[cornishcarlos]

Just put a sign (in Thai) on your bike saying that ghosts are protecting it.

That will do the job

[Shurup]

Was going to suggest filling it up with diesel but Gsxrnz beat me to it.

[guzzi850m2]

Get a dog, it will wake you up, have a baseball bat handy, brake his arm or leg with it.

[wantan]

Just put a sign (in Thai) on your bike saying that ghosts are protecting it.

That will do the job

Yep, speak to your household spirits, offer a pig head and put a bad hex on the thief. That will work for sure

Edited September 20, 2013 by wantan

[impulse]

Put a cup of sugar into your full gas tank after turning off your fuel valve.

Borrow someone else's bike to ride for a few days.

Drain the tank and clean it real good when you find someone has taken the bait.

Repeat as necessary.

Edited September 20, 2013 by impulse

[cornishcarlos]

Just put a sign (in Thai) on your bike saying that ghosts are protecting it.

That will do the job

Yep, speak to your household spirits, offer a pig head and put a bad hex on the thief. That will work for sure

Actually, this sort of mind games do work..

My car used to get broken into on a regular basis in Cape Town. Even when I left it unlocked with nothing in it !(they always smashed a window as they presumed opening an unlocked door would set off a non existant alarm). So knowing that the locals there were scared stupid of snakes, I put a fake one on the rear seat. Never got broken into again... Use the forces that work the best....

[AK86]

For the diesel, you can put half diesel and half petrol (as suggested), and then when you drain it, you can just fill up with a fresh tank of petrol and run fine. I've run my Super Cub on 10% diesel before with no negative consequences so the trace amounts in your tank after draining mixed with a whole tank of new fuel wont hurt anything.

[Jerry Cornelius]

IED????

Jerry

[Andre0720]

I had to get a camera system installed for 16,000 bahts.

The neighbours would watch the thieves emptying my Honda Phantom, and just watched, 3 times.

The police told me not to intervene if I saw the thieves, I would get stabbed was their warning...

[Dararasmi]

Lie in wait for him. After all, a petrol thief is just a friend you haven't met yet.

[NoshowJones]

How about covering the hose in dog shit?

Or maybe leave some live electrical wires exposed in that area, not enough voltage to kill him of course...

Why not?

[Cuban]

Sugar etc is too unpredictable. Almost drain your tank covertly - as it is some one close by that does this - and fill with a cleaning fluid of similar color - that will do the job when they use it.

Which leads to the question about their use, if they are another biker they are using a lot of fuel - reselling? Or are a car driver that is milking many bikes.

But personally I would loose a few nights sleep and react hard with a blunt object - however this is Thailand so you are all in at that point - do you know some thugs for hire?

[laislica]

Revenge? What crazy advice - do you or yours want to get injured or worse?

Buy a length of fuel tube and an inline tap.

Arrange the tap so that it is hidden under the seat and locked.

Turn off the tap at night and leave it at that.

The thief will eventually give up and go elsewhere.

Remember that you and the thief live close to each other and there is nothing worse than a neighbour dispute,

especially if the thief is a Thai with a short fuse!

It´s probably a youngster anyway.

Good luck.

[ll2]

Put an alarm on your bike.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[1sickpuppy]

i had in good mate who is a mechanic back in home country, you wanna _uck them up use bakers soldering fluid, it is nearly untracable & you wont have the problem with sugar, just make sure you dont run it through yours, used to be 1 bottle to a car tank, it is liquid solder ing fluid, i imagine any brand would work, good luck, they just cant help themselves

[snowgard]

You can try it with a cheap car dvr. This cameras cost only 590,- Baht. And you need a TF-Card too. It works also on battery, have motion detection, .....

Have a look:

http://www.superspygadget.com/products/8809

[Rimbuman]

Some simple bare wires connected to a charged high voltage capacitor bank (for example 320 Volt 5000 or 6000 uf will do) u can find on google or utube how to make this. But be aware this could be deadly and you might find your gasoline thief next your motorcycle. If this is a concern you can use a lower voltage capacitor bank like 100 Volt and far less uf, this will still be the shock of a lifetime when done properly.

Succes.

[laislica]

Some simple bare wires connected to a charged high voltage capacitor bank (for example 320 Volt 5000 or 6000 uf will do) u can find on google or utube how to make this. But be aware this could be deadly and you might find your gasoline thief next your motorcycle. If this is a concern you can use a lower voltage capacitor bank like 100 Volt and far less uf, this will still be the shock of a lifetime when done properly.

Succes.

You´d do what?

Where in the world would this be a legal action ?

If the thief is not dead he will torch your bike for sure - I would!

[koo]

Just try something very simple:

Since the tube and valve are typically only accessible on one side of the bike, try parking it so that this side is against a wall or fence. It is quite difficult then to reach over to the valve and/or tube without moving the bike, and the crook will give up trying to fit the can in the space also.

A small investment is a dust cover for the bike. These usually have metal rings in the bottom. Just use a padlock there, and the thief won't reach the tube/valve any more, and I doubt he would risk ripping the dust cover either.

[poanoi]

Buy an alarm, bike cover, and a baseball bat.

Install and activate alarm ~1000 baht, bike cover ~200 B, baseball bat 350 B,

all in all 1550 baht.

Now live as usual, and if alarm keep roaming, put on your shorts and flip flops,

go out with the baseball bat in your fist, and use it well.

Edited September 20, 2013 by poanoi

[guzzi850m2]

I am glad I live in a secure moo baan, don't even lock my bikes at night.

And I got a mean dog just in case, he lives in the garden and in the carport where the bikes are parked.