Man tampers with pump to get full tank for only $5

Plainville, Conn. (WTNH) - A man tampered with a Plainville gas pump and made off with a tank of gas for only $5. Now police are looking for the man and his car.

Surveillance shows the man drives a white Cadillac Deville, possibly a 2002.

The suspect headed inside a local gas station after snapping the cabinet bolts of the pump station.

He handed the attendant a $5 bill and then proceeded to pump .91 cents worth of gas. He then stopped and went back inside to tell the attendant he made a mistake when he selected the grade of gas. The attendant turned the pump back on with a balance of $4.09.

When the suspect went back to his car, he entered the pump cabinet where he pulled a cotter pin from the gear metering device known as a pulser. This allowed the suspect to fill up his tank un-metered.

After filling up, he headed out.

The owner of the Citgo gas station, Mahbub Ahmed said they lost "almost 100 gallons, so nearly 400 dollars, 378 dollars."

We have been contacted by other jurisdictions that they have had this similar complaint," said Sgt. Charles Smedick, "we are touching base with them."

From Bloomfield to Enfield, Windsor to Plainville, and another pump discovered just across the border in Bristol. Police say after the man disabled the meter, anyone who fills up on that pump will get free gas until it is discovered by the attendant at the station.

Investigators believe while there is no danger of fire from the tampering, the man is an expert at it and has probably been getting away with it for a while.

"The individual that is doing this and the person we are trying to identify has some working knowledge of the pumps," said Smedick. "Either was in the business, or was trained by someone in the business."

Plainville police are looking for help in identifying the suspect.