[msprabhakar]

Wanted to alert about a racket, reportedly rampant in Mumbai (at least).

Last week, our alert Security manager laid a trap and caught 4 drivers in our company's parking lot after they were caught red-handed, systematically stealing petrol and spares (like wipers) from our employees' cars. Investigations indicate that it is part of a very widespread racket involving a network of many drivers and public parking lot attendants who have a relay and coding system that will put even dabbawallahs to shame! One of the involved drivers demonstrated how simple it was to open the fuel lid using a thin screw-driver and drain out an "unnoticeable" quantity from each car in the parking lot. The entire operation on all cars in the lot was so swift and professional that very few owners would notice or even suspect. Since this is a routine affair, the driver even pointed to tell-tale screw-driver scratch marks on every fuel lid, especially on the inside portion. I made a cursory check for these tell-tale marks on every car I came across - residence parking lot, signals and shopping malls. In my estimate, over 80% cars bear them. Another tel-ki Telgi scam?

Reportedly, the current rate of petrol in this "market" is Rs 26 per litre.

The surprising after-effect is that most employees have started noticing a 2-3 kmpl improvement in their averages!

msp

[Montoya]

Reportedly, the current rate of petrol in this "market" is Rs 26 per litre

What?? Where?? How?? When?? and how come their averages are increasing with cheaper quality fuel

[iceman91]

he meant that now that the thieves are caught the FE has increased since petrol is not being stolen.....not that FE increased by using stolen fuel..

[Technocrat]

LOL iceman.

But on a serious note, prabhakar can you post a pic of the marks which you found on the inside of fuel lids. This will others to make sure that there car is not subjected to such theft & if they do find that they have these marks then as iceman said they should be happy that their mileage is more that they thought

[Deeps]

Prabhakar, i am interested ijn knowing how the security guard managed to catch the thieves. Besides, it seems to me that if someone was draining fuel from a car, the whole act can't be carried out in a discreet manner.

And i wonder if some victims eventually ended up buying their own petrol for Rs26/l.

[nitrous]

What?? Where?? How?? When?? and how come their averages are increasing with cheaper quality fuel

Pls give more details, prabakar.

[speedsatya]

prabhakar,

thankx for alerting us about all this.can you give us more details.
where in mumbai did thi happen.
can you provide any pics of the scratch marks.


satya

[Montoya]

but how did they steal the fuel?? Since modern cars have fuel pumps and you just can steal like that..

[msprabhakar]

Thanks guys for your curiosity over this incident, many of our employees, esp those affected are equally curious and shocked too. Everybody was observing today for the marks and practically all found ones in their cars, except those with M800 (the lucky ones who had a fuel lid lock).

I'll try and get a good close-up snap of typical tell-tale marks asap, but give me some time, please. The marks are not difficult to spot either. Just imagine a deft crook using a screw driver to prise open the catch inside the fuel lid on a regular basis. You'll find lightly scraped paint at the opposite end of fuel lid hinge, but really difficult to notice otherwise. Also observe the catch and the inner side of lid, the marks will be more prominent!

Re how our Security manager smelt rat, I guess it had to do with his instincts. When I asked him, he simply said he observed too many people complaining of poor FE of late at our cafeteria and connected with one of his recent observations of a suspicious bottle found in a shallow pit near the car park, covered with dry leaves. He originally suspected some drivers of drinking! The rest of the story is probably typical of sleuths, which I didn't probe.

msp

[Montoya]

Which area of mumbai are these incidents occuring Do you have any idea..

P.S The Opel Corsa doesnot even have a close on the fuel lid it can be opened by anyone from outside..

[msprabhakar]

Which area of mumbai are these incidents occuring

Mulund (W), at the employee car park of an mnc with a prominent lawn (a landmark). However, the courier of stolen fuel (now fired, of course) was probably selling it to a network somewhere else in Mumbai.

msp

[X-Machine]

This scam has been going on since a long time now.Infact if anytime in the night one is out of fuel with no petrol pump in sight,just head to the nearest slum and get fuel in 'bottles'.Goa ishtyle.Most of the guys who steal fuel are :
1) Security Guards.
2) Building watchmans.
3) Ragpickers.
4) Charsi's.
5) Pay & Park guys.

X

[Technocrat]

@Montoya: Fuel pumps are there to deliver fuel from tank to the carb or fuel injection system. This theft is happening from the tank itself. Also the fuel lid in opel cars have different mechanism i.e. they can be opened from outside as long as the car is not locked, if you lock the car then even the fuel lid gets locked

[Boom Shiva]

Lots of places where this kind of scam is going on. One of our drivers was doing it years ago. Then later I found out about my friend's dad's company, where all the drivers were apparently doing it. It's not very difficult, so even an idiot can do it, which is why there's such a big network.

The only thing you can do is be alert, and slap the hell out of anybody trying to open your fuel tank.

[Montoya]

as long as the car is not locked, if you lock the car then even the fuel lid gets locked

Thats really good to know i thought otherwise.. of putting water in all Opel Corsas.. LOL(kiddin)

By the way that means we should not even park at pay and park.. its written parking at owners risk every where..