What can you put into Gas to screw up an engine?

[VirtuallyMe]

Thanks Quiksilvr... I do see your point and do understand.

Like I said in my last post- it is highly unlikely that we would do it... but it is fun to imagine. Maybe I'll just put a note attached next to it saying- smile you are on candid camera...

This kid unfortunately is headed for the big house or the cemetary anyway- he hangs out with a bunch of druggie kids that live in a rent house around the corner... nothing like having that bunch here- never had any crime in the neighbor hood until we got those kids moved in- and the parents are clueless and think their kids little angels but they are well known at the high school as being a drug source.

I will probably get a police friend of mine to go ruffle some feathers the next time the truck I saw is over there.

 

[DawnCt1]

So the kid has stolen maybe 50.00 worth of gas from you and your're posting to ask how you can cause hundreds of dollars of damage to a car that might not even be his? Not to mention what could happen to you if it got back that you did that OR the possibilty that if he doesn't bite and you forget what you added to the gas can, you could end up putting the gas into your car or lawnmower and having the act of revenge backfire on you.

Videotape him in the act and let the police handle it.

You took the words right out of my keyboard. I would rather confront him directly, confront his parents directly, call the police and tell them you saw it, before I would deliberately cause that level of damage to anyone's car. Its a set up for "bad karma" if you ask me!

 

[Quiksilvr]

Are you serious??? She puts sugar in HER gas can. He steals it and she will get in trouble? He didn't have to steal the can and his car wouldn't be broken if he didn't steal it.

Yes. If saying it in all caps made people take me more seriously: "YES".

It's all about what the person intended to do. She knows he has stolen gas before. Heck he'd probably even admit it to get her in trouble and testify that he knows that the OP knew he was stealing the gas. If she puts sugar in a gas can she knows has been stolen, intending for it to be stolen again, intending to cause damage to the kid's car it doesn't matter that the can was stolen. It's a completely separate issue. The kid would be prosecuted for stealing, the OP could be prosecuted under a number of statutes (depending on the state).

 

[Quiksilvr]

what if she labled it and put 'this gascan contains 80 percent water' and he steals it and uses it

Can it REALLY get HER in trouble? I can get it the way you put it but if she has it on her property with a label?

If the label was large and impossible to miss it would change things considerably. However, it would also probably defeat the purpose of the exercise.

I would love to chat more but I have a meeting.

 

[N.Bailey]

Are you all sure diesel wouldn't create some sort of explosion if put into a gasoline powered car? I know I have read of the dangers of putting gas into a kerosene heater. Perhaps I'm comparing apples to oranges, but if you're planning on using the diesel, I'd be sure it was at least safe to do so.

Personally, I'd go with the water. The police won't do a dang thing and I'm not even sure we'd want them to really. They definitely have bigger fish to fry. Sure they'd probably have a talk with the kid but more than likely, it would begin and end there.

What bothers me is the fact that the kid keeps coming back. I find that to be quite brazen. I'd imagine if he got wrapped up in some costly repair bills, he might think twice about stealing at least gas in the future.

 

[TomLovesBecky]

It's not necessarily "vandalism" but it could be any number of other things, especially if he could prove that the OP intended to cause the damage (which would be pretty clear if there was sugar in the gas can). The boy would be prosecuted for theft, but the OP could also be prosecuted for a number of crimes depending on what level of damage the vehicle sustained. Additionally, if someone was hurt because of the sugar in the tank (e.g., a car accident) the OP could be prosecuted for that and probably would be. The prosecutor would paint it as a willful disregard of a clear risk.

Are you frickin' kidding me??? Sorry, if someone steals from me, and bad things happen as a result, oh well. It makes me sick, the world we live in today.

 

[Quiksilvr]

If i choose to put any number of things into a gas can, how would I be liable were it stolen and used?

We have kerosene in a can in the garage. If some rotten thief steals it and drinks it, would I be liable?

And, why or why not? I am really curious.

It's all about intent and about the individual who stole it. It's a different issue for example if a child wanders into your open garage and starts drinking kerosene than it is if a vagrant steals your kerosene can and drinks it.

It's also a different issue if you put kerosene in a liquor bottle and left it on the bench because you know the vagrant is goign to come steal your liquor bottle because he's done it before. This is very similar to the OP's situation. If the kerosene killed the guy and the prosecutor could prove it, you'd go to jail. Just because someone stole it doesn't change the fact that you intended to hurt the guy.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

Again, you're talking about what you think should or should not get someone in trouble. That is not what makes someone criminally or civilly liable for their actions. What I worry about is the OP not understanding that her actions could end up with her in prison just as easily as the kid. All the prosecutor has to do is prove that it was her sugared gas that caused the car to go bad, that she intended for the kid to take the gas to "teach him a lesson", and that he took it. Open, shut, guilty.

How is the prosecutor going to prove she intended to have the kid steal the gas. I seriously doubt that she would go to jail, too many what ifs.

I just found out sugar in the gas tank doesn't damage the car. It was on Myth Busters.

 

[In a hurry]

If the label was large and impossible to miss it would change things considerably. However, it would also probably defeat the purpose of the exercise.

I would love to chat more but I have a meeting.

Then, heck, just put the note on a can of real gas!

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

If the label was large and impossible to miss it would change things considerably. However, it would also probably defeat the purpose of the exercise.

I would love to chat more but I have a meeting.

It probably wouldn't. The punk would probably assume they just didn't want him to steal it

Anywho, thanks for the legal insight

 

[TomLovesBecky]

I think you can't see how you could get in trouble because you're not thinking about this the way a judge or a prosecutor does. They don't care that your property was stolen. All they'll see is that you put sugar in a gas can intending for a kid to steal it and put it in his car. What if he got in a car accident and died? You could be prosecuted for negligent homicide in a number of states. It has nothing to do with how violated you felt or the fact that the kid stole something. You'd probably be interested to know that in several states you can be prosecuted for shooting a burglar in your house who hasn't threatened you with harm or tried to hurt you. It may not make sense but it's the law.

I'm a lawyer. I'm giving you the lawyer's perspective on this. If this kid got seriously hurt as a result of your actions and I was the D.A. I'd prosecute the heck out of you and I'd win (assuming you used something traceable like sugar and I could trace the bad gas back to your gascan). We don't want to encourage people to do stuff like this because they feel violated. That's what the legal system is there for.

Um, no. They don't INTEND for someone to steal it. They just know the little weasel probably will, because he's a scumbag. Sorry, he deserves to have his engine ruined for stealing. I don't care if it's worth only 10 cents. Stealing is wrong and let him learn his lesson! I am really sickened by this attitude, really. This is what's wrong with our country...prosecutors looking to punish innocent victims instead of thieves. Ridiculous. But I guess being a lawyer gives you a whole new set of morals?? It's funny because I know two lawyers personally and both of them are the "screw the kid, he shouldn't be a thief" type. So I know not all of you think this way.

 

[N.Bailey]

If i choose to put any number of things into a gas can, how would I be liable were it stolen and used?

We have kerosene in a can in the garage. If some rotten thief steals it and drinks it, would I be liable?

And, why or why not? I am really curious.

It goes to intent. If you put the kerosene in a can KNOWING it will be drank, you're liable, IF it can be proven. While what many people have said here is true, tracing the mixture back to the OP wouldn't be the easiest task in the world. Unless something major happens, the police will brush a complaint made by the teen afterward off about as quick as they'd brush off the OP turning the teen in to begin with. It would be his duty to prove the intent if he wanted to take it to civil court (which he would never do anyway).

 

[Becky2005]

If i choose to put any number of things into a gas can, how would I be liable were it stolen and used?

We have kerosene in a can in the garage. If some rotten thief steals it and drinks it, would I be liable?

And, why or why not? I am really curious.

That's what I'm thinking....my DH tends to put things (especially oil) in containers that aren't labelled OIL. I wouldn't put it past him to use a gas can for it if he had that available at the time he was changing oil (he was using milk jugs but I can't imagine anyone stealing milk jugs filled with black oil until he could get them transferred but who the heck knows!)

 

[N.Bailey]

Having read a bit more, I would definitely NOT get involved with an individual who you feel is headed to prison. You could throw this type over the edge where he could perhaps start destroying your property, or perhaps start harming you own family. IMO, you don't want to go there.

 

[VirtuallyMe]

The link someone supplied earlier that says why the sugar doesn't work- had another link attached from the car guys that said the best joke to do is to sprinkle sugar on the ground near a car and leave an empty sugar bag on the ground not far from it... they said that way you don't do anything but litter a little bit but the person would assume the gas tank had been filled with sugar.

I thought that was funny.

Wouldn't work here- although I suppose we should label our gas as diesel or "contains water" so they leave it alone.

I do not know the actual kid- just that I've seen the same truck at the house around the corner- so no way to talk to parents are or anything.

But it is frustrating that our legal system works the way it does. Actually I wouldn't be surprised if the gas that was stolen had water in it. The can was left open with spout out- from when my husband didn't put it up this weekend. And when the can got stolen- it was raining horribly- I'm talking more than 3 inches in an hour- the kid had to "Swim" up our driveway. It is probably a strong bet that it did have some rain water in it.

Oh-in Louisiana- you can shoot a robber in your house or place of business- they don't have to be threatening you other than being inside unlawfully. the threat is assumed. Why do I know this? A friends dad got wind that his shop was going to get robbed. He called the cops and asked them to do something. They said they couldn't do anything until it happened. He said fine- he'd call them when they broke in. He hid in his shop and waited for them to break in- called the cops and said someone was breaking in- and he had a gun- the cops said, "make sure they are all the way in before you shoot them and we are on the way- don't shoot us." He shot the intruders in the shop and the cops cleaned up the mess.

I work with a nurse who kept getting her food stolen at a place she worked before. She made brownies with chocolate exlax and then put them into the refrigerator labeled with her name and the date and "Danger- do not eat- contains exlax" Someone ate them... got sick and tried to get her into trouble- she didn't because she labeled them- as such- but her boss said her name alone should have been sufficient labeling to make it off limits to others.

sigh...

 

[hereyago]

I can put whatever I want in my gas can on my property and if someone steals it then oh well if his engine is messed up. Honestly, what is he going to do? Run to the police and tell them he went onto private property and stole the gas can but it messed up his engine? Please.
That is like if he stole a defective car and something happened, he couldn't really complain now could he?
Sure you could videotape, but how much time would he get? It wouldn't be the "trial of the century".

 

[Tink888]

How is the prosecutor going to prove she intended to have the kid steal the gas. I seriously doubt that she would go to jail, too many what ifs.

I just found out sugar in the gas tank doesn't damage the car. It was on Myth Busters.

She posted on the boards asking how to do it. There's intent right there, in writing, all over the internet.

OP - I understand where you're coming from, I really do. The kid is a little punk and granted, he deserves to be taught a lesson. No one is condoning what he did or siding with him for being a thief.

But the point is that you are not the person to teach him a lesson and the realitiy is that by doing something (tempting as it may be) you could open up a whole bunch of trouble for yourself. Is some little punk and 20.00 worth of gas really worth all the potential headache and trouble you could end up finding yourself in?

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Yeah. I'm sayin label it with a huge label and if he still steals it *Shrug*

But that's me.

 

[DawnCt1]

Even if there were no chance ever that the OP could get caught, why would anyone cause that much damage over a few gallons of gas? The response is completely out of proportion. I would march myself next door, ask for a refund and call the police if the parents aren't cooperative. If the OP saw it, she is a witness and can say so in the police report.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

She posted on the boards asking how to do it. There's intent right there, in writing, all over the internet.

OP - I understand where you're coming from, I really do. The kid is a little punk and granted, he deserves to be taught a lesson. No one is condoning what he did or siding with him for being a thief.

But the point is that you are not the person to teach him a lesson and the realitiy is that by doing something (tempting as it may be) you could open up a whole bunch of trouble for yourself. Is some little punk and 20.00 worth of gas really worth all the potential headache and trouble you could end up finding yourself in?

I seriously doubt they are going to go after her computer and search it. Then they would have to prove she wrote it and put the sugar in the gas can.