FUELLED A NEW NATIONWIDE CRIME

WAVE.

BRAZEN THIEVES STEALING GAS FROM

CARS, TRUCKS, AND GAS STATIONS

THEMSELVES.

CNN'S ADRIAN BROADUS IS LIVE FOR

US IN CHICAGO.

WHAT IS BEHIND THIS DRAMATIC

SPIKE?

>> Reporter: WELL, GOOD MORNING,

BRIANNA, I SPOKE TO MEMBERS OF

LAW ENFORCEMENT ACROSS THE

COUNTRY AND THEY SAY THE SPIKE

IN GAS IS LIKELY FUELING THIS

CRIME.

AND THE THIEVES ARE BOLD.

NOT ONLY STEALING FROM

INDIVIDUALS AND TARGETING GAS

STATIONS LIKE THIS ONE, BUT

THEY'RE ALSO FOCUSING ON CAR

DEALERSHIPS.

>> THERE WAS A PRETTY STRONG

ODOR OF GASOLINE.

>> THEY SMELLED IT.

BEFORE THEY SAW IT.

>> AS SOON AS YOU PUT IT IN THE

AIR, EVERYBODY SHOULD SEE, THERE

IS SOMEBODY WHO DROVE A HOLE IN

THE FUEL TANK RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS WHERE HE WAS ABLE TO

DRILL ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE

FUEL TANK.

>> MIKE GROSS SAID HIS JEEP, A

TRADE-IN WAS SITTING ON THE

PARKING LOT OF THE DEALERSHIP HE

OWNS AND THIS IS THE AREA GAS

STATIONS USE.

>> THERE WERE MAYBE THREE OR

FOUR GALLONS OF GAS IN THERE AND

HE PROBABLY DID CLOSE TO $1500

OF DAMAGE IN ORDER TO STEAL 15

TO 20 DOLLARS WORTH OF GAS.

>> FROM WISCONSIN TO ATLANTA AND

CALIFORNIA, THIEVES LIKELY

FUELED BY RISING GAS PRICES, ARE

STEALING FROM INDIVIDUALS, AND

TARGETING GAS STATIONS WITH

DIESEL.

IN HOUSTON --

>> YOU END UP LOSING ABOUT 5 TO

6,000.

>> JERRY ON SECURITY CAMERA,

CHASING THE DRIVER HE SAYS STOLE

1,000 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM HIS

FAMILY'S GAS STATION OVER A

THREE-DAY PERIOD.

AT FIRST, HE THOUGHT HIS SENSORS

WERE OFF.

>> IT MAKES ME KIND OF

FLUSTERED, ANGRY.

>> THE SECURITY FOOTAGE SHOWS

THE VAN PARKING ON TOP OF THE

UNDERGROUND FUEL TANK.

>> THEY WILL HAVE A TRAPPED DOOR

INSIDE THEIR MINIVAN, TO OPEN

THAT UP, AND BREAK THE LOCK

INSIDE OUR LITTLE, OUR LITTLE

TUBE THAT GOES INTO OUR TANK,

AND THEY'LL INSERT THEIR OWN

TUBE, AND THEN START THEIR PUMP,

AND THEN THAT'S WHEN THE DIESEL

IS SUCTIONS INTO THE VAN.

>> ALSO IN TEXAS, SECURITY

CAMERAS CAPTURED TRUCKS FILLING

UP WITH DIESEL, AT THIS CHEVRON

STATION THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.

THE OWNER TOLD CNN 2,000 GALLONS

OF GAS WERE GONE.

AND THE VALUE AT LEAST $10,000.

>> THIS IS AN ESPECIALLY

EGREGIOUS CRIME WITH INDIVIDUALS

TAKING ADVANTAGEFUL BUSINESSES

LIKE THIS.

>> IN NORTH CAROLINA, THIEVES

APPARENTLY USING EQUIPMENT TO

BYPASS THE TANK, AND MORE THAN

15 CARS PULL UP AND FILL UP AND

GET AWAY WITH $1600 IN FUEL

PROMPTING THE OWNER TO TAKE

EXTRA SECURITY PRECAUTIONS.

>> AND IN WASHINGTON, THE

EVERETT POLICE DEPARTMENT

POSTING A WARNING ON FACEBOOK

TELLING RESIDENTS TO PARK IN A

GARAGE OR A HIGH TRAVELED AREA

DUE TO THE INCREASE IN GAS

THEFT.

BACK IN WISCONSIN, WORK TO

REPLACE MIKE'S DAMAGED TANK

BEGINS.

>> TALKING TO THE INSURANCE

ADJUSTER AND HE SAID HE HAS SEEN

SEVERAL TIMES WHERE PEOPLE ARE

TRYING TO STEA