Residents of a suburban community are being urged to be on the lookout for a low-tech scam thieves are using to steal gasoline.
According to police, there have been reports in suburban Northlake of thieves using a small screw to prevent gas pumps from resetting and then are stealing gasoline while a transaction is still in progress.
Police say the thieves are using a small screw to drill into the nozzle cradle of fuel pumps. When drivers are finished pumping gas and go to hang the nozzle up, the screw keeps the lever from closing, which causes the pump to still operate on the same transaction.
Police included a photo of a screw inserted into a gas pump:
Motorists are urged to take the following steps to protect themselves:
-Check the cradle to make sure there’s no screws or other implements designed to keep the nozzle from docking correctly.
-Wait for the screen to reset. Never leave until the screen asks for a receipt or zeroes out the previous transaction.
-Listen for the nozzle to click when you re-insert it after fueling.
-Print your receipt.
If residents see a jammed pump, they are urged to report it to the gas station attendant immediately.
If a resident feels they are a victim of a scam, contact the Northlake Police Department, and notify your credit card company or bank to ensure there are no unauthorized charges on your account.
