Gas thieves continue to take traditional route

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Thieves appear to be thinking outside of the siphon when it comes to stealing gas. But even so, police say most of the complaints they handle don't deviate from tradition.

From gas siphoning to drive-offs, Salt Lake police Detective Jeff Bedard says that's where the vast majority of thefts still happen, even with most gas stations requiring pre-pay.

With prices what they are, complaints have been steady for the past few months. "When you talk about the value of a commodity doubling, or even tripling, over the last few years, then certainly, it's gonna become more lucrative in the minds of some criminals," Bedard said.

Bedard says it's hard to say if more thefts are happening or if more people are now complaining because of the amount of money involved. It may involve a little of each.

E-mail: mgiauque@ksl.com