Does anyone feel sorry for him?
Times are tough, a lot of people are feeling the pinch, but for some that’s used as a justification for stealing. And with gas prices continuing to soar to new record levels constantly, that means some have taken to siphoning fuel from vehicles as a way to save some cash. One thief in Salt Lake City, Utah learned the hard way free gasoline can come with a price when he caught himself on fire.
Ironically, the guy was trying to steal gas from a truck belonging to Summit Fire and Protection, as reported by local station KSL. The thing is someone else already siphoned the tank, which might have been why the would-be thief was having zero luck. Then he decided to do something really stupid, drilling into the tank so he could fill his jerrycan. That’s when a spark ignited the gas, catching him on fire.
If you’ve ever drilled into metal, you know it can spark even just a little bit. Since gas is so flammable, that’s all it needs to ignite. It’s possible when the guy punctured the tank the fuel sprayed onto him while igniting at the same time. You can see him on the surveillance video rolling around in the parking lot, trying to smother the flames.
Even better, the guy’s accomplice who was sitting in the pickup truck’s driver’s seat doesn’t do anything to help. They’re both committing a crime and he’s doing his part by being ready to drive away and probably watching for the cops.
That same truck had already been targeted by thieves the same day, June 14, who chopped off the catalytic converter and siphoned the tank. According to Branch Manager Travis Mills, the business has been targeted plenty of times in the past. “Some people try to take the easy way out of everything,” said Mills.
Summit Fire and Protection installed a $30,000 security system thanks to all the problems in the city, which has been experiencing quite the crime wave. Now, the truck that was targeted is out of commission and the company isn’t sure it can get replacement parts, which will cost them big time in lost revenue. At least the one thief will have a constant reminder that stealing comes with consequences, lest he try his hand at thievery again.
Source and images: KSL
