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It’s long been suggested that to help reduce the risk of having your vehicle broken into, you should always keep any items of value out of sight. But what if thieves aren’t interested in what is inside the passenger compartment of your vehicle, but in your fuel tank?

Given the historic high price of gas that motorists are paying at the pump, it should probably come as no surprise that incidents of fuel thefts are on the rise.

Many of these incidents have been gas-and-dash incidents, in which thieves will fill up at a station and drive away without paying. It’s not a new phenomenon, but one that has increased in recent months. According to the Ontario Convenience Store Association, which represents 2,700 stations across the province, there were 21,000 thefts in 2020. With an average loss of $52 per incident, this amounted to a collective loss of just under $1.1 million.

The association predicts as many as 50,000 drive-off thefts will take place this year, with the average loss expected to rise to around $75 because of the higher price of fuel. It estimates gas-and-dash incidents could cost retailers $3.75 million in 2022.

Historically, an increase in the price of fuel has also been attributed to a rise in cases of gas being stolen from the fuel tank of vehicles. While the Toronto Police Service said it has seen an increase in reports, it is difficult to say how widespread siphoning is.

It’s done by placing one end of a hose directly into the fuel tank of a vehicle and then using suction to pump the gas out through the hose into a container. It’s very low-tech, using simple physics that newer vehicles are often equipped to thwart: Anti-siphon mesh screens are often fitted in the fuel filler pipe and act as a physical barrier to prevent hoses from entering the fuel tank.

There is also a rollover valve at the tank inlet. This valve is designed to keep gas from escaping the car in event of an accident, but it also prevents would-be thieves from sticking a hose into the tank. Because of this, the rollover valve is also often referred to as an anti-siphon valve.

With gas siphoning becoming harder to do, some thieves are now resorting to drilling holes directly into the fuel tank and draining its contents. The practice results in owners not only having their fuel stolen, but also with hefty bill to repair or replace their vehicle’s tank.

To reduce the risk of having your vehicle’s fuel siphoned, there are a few preventative steps you can take.

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