VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. -- Police say gas thieves are on the loose, and they're drilling holes in cars and then taking off with the gas.

  • Police say gas thieves have struck Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach Shores
  • Nearly a dozen vehicles hit since April
  • The thieves drill holes in the tank to get the fuel out

Peter Decarlo found his red van with gas leaking out of a hole he said was drilled by crooks.

"They had drilled a hole into my gas tank and I had just filled it up with gas, $38 the night before, and all of the gas leaked right out," said DeCarlo. 

While he slept last week, his neighbor said he spotted two suspicious people carrying flash lights and a gas can, circling the Castaways neighborhood. The neighbor said then they went underneath his van.

"I guess because the tank is plastic there were no sparks, so they could drill right away," said DeCarlo.

Ormond Beach Police and now Daytona Beach Shores police are investigating similar cases.

Nine victims reported the same incident with their vehicles in Ormond Beach -- one in April, one in May, and seven in June, five within the last two weeks.

Plus DeCarlo's case in Daytona Beach Shores.

Each vehicle was left with a hole in their gas tanks and their vehicles on "E."

"When the flatbed came to pick up the van like this, all the rest of the gas poured out of the tank," said DeCarlo.

Though more gas likely hit the pavement than what they actually got away with, DeCarlo said it's not just what they took -- it's what it costs to fix the damage.​

"They're getting maybe $20, $30, $40 worth of gas, but then the time and the money we have to spend to fix the vehicle is up to a thousand dollars or more," said DeCarlo. 

Now DeCarlo, like others, are left without cars for weeks while they get fixed.

In several cases, the thieves were caught on surveillance video. Police believe a red truck could be connected and help them find the crooks.

"I hope they get caught. I hope they get what's coming to them and then I hope police come and arrest them," said DeCarlo.

Police said if you see someone "working" under a car in an unusual location, call law enforcement. If you know who drives the truck, call police.