Gas thief caught on surveillance video carrying buckets of gas from cars at Hazel Crest dealership

Saturday, March 26, 2022
HAZEL CREST, Ill. (WLS) -- A Hazel Crest car dealership was hit three times this week with the alleged thief seen on surveillance video stealing gas from 10 different cars in the lot.

The first hit happened early Monday morning according to I-80 Auto Group owner Alan Takruri.
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"We were mad you know, we were mad," Takruri said. "We do not like the way they do it, it's crazy."

Security footage shows a man entering the lot at 167th St. & Kedzie drilling holes in car gas tanks and carrying buckets away of gas.

Gas is seen leaking from this truck after the man left with buckets in hand.

"He was targeting the big trucks because they're higher and he can use the bucket underneath," said Takruri.



Alan Takruri says he filed a police report on Wednesday after the second time it happened. But he still hasn't had any luck finding nor stopping the person responsible.

"I feel sympathy for somebody risking his life just for $10 or $20 of gas. That's bad," said Takruri.
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Takruri said he recognizes that gas prices are surging right now and hurting everyone's bottom dollar.

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"Gas is expensive but still he cannot damage cars for $10. That costs us maybe thousands of dollars just to repair them," Takruri said.

The damage to repair his vehicles is costing his business thousands of dollars, he said.



Despite having several surveillance cameras already, they plan on adding more.

"We want to keep our business rolling with no problems," said Takruri.
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