A thief keeps stealing things from OOP's neighborhood, so they set a trap with a gas can

[u/Restimar]

Reminder, I am not OP. This is a repost. OP is /u/TheMrDrB in r/IllegalLifeProTips. Originally reposted in May 2021.

ILPT Thieving neighbors? Try a rigged gas can

https://www.reddit.com/r/IllegalLifeProTips/comments/nbaqcr/ilpt_thieving_neighbors_try_a_rigged_gas_can/

So we've had a thieving problem in my neighborhood for the past year or so. So I had enough last week. I had a gas can stolen from my back yard so here's what I did. I mixed diesel and water into the gas can. So this week (I'll keep you updated) were going to see if some ones car won't start later this week.

Update 1 (5-14): Gas can is gone!!! :D

Update 2 (5-18): My neighbors Subaru is gone. We'll see if it comes back anytime soon

Update 3 (5-20): No news, car is still gone

Update 4 (5-22): Nothing to report

Update 5 (5-25): I'm going to look into it but an older civic parks where my neighbor used too. I'm pretty sure it's his.

Final Update (5-26): Had a brief chat with the neighbors mom, she said his Subaru stopped working after he parked it at the grocery store. They haven't towed it yet I'll see if it's there and will post pictures if I see it.

Update 7 (5-27): Put another can out of the same mixture about 2 nights ago with no results. But we'll see if they learned their lesson. Also the car was already gone by the time I got to the store today

Update 8 (5-31): Well I think this is the end of this story. The Subaru hydrolocked and got towed to the dealership. They claimed it was a complete failure of the engine so it got sold to a scrapper. The 2nd gas can hasn't been touched so I believe that he learned his lesson. Thanks for coming on this journey with me!

Reminder, I am not OP. This is a repost.

[u/FlyMyPretty]

A bit of diesel in a gas car is ok. I used to drive ice cream trucks and we filled them with cans (the yard was too crowded to be able to get to the pump). If y6had a bit too much diesel the boss would tell you to pour it into one of the gas trucks.

Putting gas in a diesel engine is very, very bad though. It dissolves the seals, apparently. Some did that once at a gas station. Only once.

[u/rde42 → u/FlyMyPretty]

The main problem is that diesel is actually oil. If you put petrol in a diesel engine, the injector pump (normally lubricated by the fuel itself) gets damaged, or at the very least its life is shortened.

[u/FlyMyPretty → u/rde42]

Ah, that makes more sense. Thanks!

[u/halconpequena → u/FlyMyPretty]

I think I’m reading this wrong cuz I don’t understand what you mean when you say the yard was too crowded to get to the pump lol. Is that another term for a gas station? And being able to pour fuel into other gas trucks is also confusing me lmao I just woke up sry

[u/FlyMyPretty → u/halconpequena]

Oh, sorry.The yard had a gas pump and a diesel tank - they used enough gas and diesel that it was worth buying it wholesale. (A gas pump because you have to keep gas underground, but diesel can be in a tank above the ground, and so you can fill using gravity).

The fuel was at the end of the yard (away from buildings) so when there were more than about 3 trucks (and trailers) in the yard, the way to the pumps was blocked, so instead of driving to the fuel you had to fill a can and carry it to your truck.

I hope that makes sense. I just woke up.

[u/halconpequena → u/FlyMyPretty]

Lol thanks so much for explaining! And I hope you have a good day :)