High fuel prices can sure make some people do some crazy things. Next time a fellow driver is mumbling about the cost of fuel, you can tell him that at least he is not like Coastal Transport truck driver Bobby Garcia of Dallas, Texas. Garcia is accused of swiping almost 1,500 gallons of fuel from and storing it in metal drums and plastic barrels in plain sight. His intent, besides trying to win the world's dumbest thief? To resell the fuel, one would hope, cheaper than at the pump, but who knows? Fuel is expensive enough without shenanigans of this kind. Plus this just plain endangers everyone.

Gas station owners may have to keep their eyes open for Garcia-types but over-the-road truckers also have to keep alert for these low-lifes. Reports are on the rise all over the country about very active thieves with high-pressue pumps to suck out diesel on the sly-and fast too. One thief in Pennsylvania even parked over an underground tank with his pickup and siphoned diesel right out of the tank through a trap door in the truck. Another in Ohio managed to remove fuel from under one driver's nose by pulling next to their rig while the driver slept. Add to this the more sloppy individuals who manage to damage your rig pretty good while stealing your fuel, and you've got the makings of a sad story all around.

Truck stops in the U.S. are not the only areas where drivers need to keep a sharp eye out for diesel thieves. Lorry drivers in England are also dealing with their own crop of thieves. And since many passenger cars also use diesel in Europe, the problem is approaching epidemic proportions. Independent truckers everywhere have enough to worry about these days trying to keep their businesses afloat. Even a few incidents of some stolen gallons and even slight damage puts a pinch on operating costs.

You have to wonder what this kind of activity accomplishes exactly. At best, the thieves make a few extra bucks, but it's not something that will last long before they have to steal more. The more fuel they have to steal, the harder it will eventually get to steal and the more expensive it will make it for the rest of us. Anyway, best to watch your back, pay attention where you park, and keep your eyes open to who might be skulking around the stop.