PACIFIC BEACH, Calif. (KGTV) - Neighbors report gas thieves are targeting Pacific Beach drivers.
Neighbor Jaden Perez said she parked her car around 10 p.m. Monday night and when she came out Tuesday morning around 6:30 a.m. she notices her car wasn't how she left it, "the gas it was left open and then the cap was hanging out and I was like that was kind of weird."
When she turned on her car, she noticed the gauge read 1/2 tank instead of the three-quarters she had the night before.
"It ruined my day and it was something that was petty," she said, frustrated. "I hear about people, their paint getting messed with, them getting broken in, and I'm in a nicer neighborhood and then that happened, I was just really bummed."
"I think there's people who are not working period that are trying to just burglarize and steal and get whatever they want," neighbor David Como said. He wants the police to step in and make their presence known. He said for now, neighbors will keep an eye out.
Jaden posted on Nextdoor to a roaring response, "I've had a lot of comments on my own post on Nextdoor lots of people saying hey you know this has happened to me too and so I was like, 'Oh my joke is truth!' Someone might be stealing gas because it's so expensive."
Gas prices rose 20 cents a gallon compared to last week, 55 cents compared to last month.
Jaden isn't taking any chances, she's ordered a gas cap lock and asked her friends to move her car so anyone casing the neighborhood doesn't strike again.
"We're not being kind to one another that's, c'mon, that's just shady," she hopes the police don't have to get involved and the crime stops.
10News spoke with San Diego Police and they said they are not aware of any of these crimes. Anyone can call the non-emergency line and ask for a courtesy patrol at 619-531-2000.
