Motoring Discussion > New type of car crime - oil theft	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: RattleandSmoke	Replies: 36

New Tue 8 Feb 11 21:31   New type of car crime - oil theft - RattleandSmoke

A customer of mine just had some oil drained from her sump. A note was left on her winscreen saying they saw to lads under the car and when they walked past again oil was pouring out of her car. She looked unerneath it and saw the sump plug on the floor, a small trace of oil and the engine was completly empty. There was no where near 4 litres worth of oil on the floor. Her oil had been pinched. Why would anybody want to steal used engine oil from a Nissan Micra? I imagine it would be quite hard to do too. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 21:44   New type of car crime - oil theft - -

Can't imagine they nicked it, possibly vandals drained it out for a laugh....might seem incredibly funny to gutter crawlers. Seems there's a whole new career waiting for MD, a few others and me, devising suitable punishments for scum so they don't come back for a second dose. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 21:46   New type of car crime - oil theft - Old Navy

>> Seems there's a whole new career waiting for MD, a few others and me, devising >> suitable punishments for scum so they don't come back for a second dose. >> Thats easy, a broken leg on a dark night with no witnesses. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 21:44   New type of car crime - oil theft - Old Navy

Theft or sabotage? Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 21:45   New type of car crime - oil theft - Zero

They must be thin kids. I cant get under a car without jacking it up. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 21:46   New type of car crime - oil theft - Old Navy

Fat director? (or is it controller?) Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 8 Feb 11 at 21:48 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 21:48   New type of car crime - oil theft - Zero

Yup thats me. edit. can anyone hear do an oil drop without lifting the car? Last edited by: Zero on Tue 8 Feb 11 at 21:49 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 21:49   New type of car crime - oil theft - Old Navy

>> Yup thats me. >> Sorry Z I missed the smiley, and the edit. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 21:51   New type of car crime - oil theft - Runfer D'Hills

>> can anyone hear do an oil drop without lifting the car? Easy, buy an Espace. Among their many and varied talents they can do that automatically. Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Tue 8 Feb 11 at 21:52 Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Tue 8 Feb 11 21:53   New type of car crime - oil theft - Old Navy

>> can anyone hear do an oil drop without lifting the car? >> Yes easy, I have a suction oil extractor and pull it out of the dipstic tube. I can just reach the sump plug on my car but guarantee I would spill oil up my arm, down my neck, and all over the garage floor, and diesel oil is seriously black. Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 8 Feb 11 at 21:54 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 21:53   New type of car crime - oil theft - Dave_

>> can anyone hear do an oil drop without lifting the car? I can reach the sump plug on the Escort with it on the ground, however I do lift the OSF corner on the spare wheel jack so the drainage tray will fit underneath. Last edited by: Dave_TD {P} on Tue 8 Feb 11 at 21:54 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 9 Feb 11 08:34   New type of car crime - oil theft - Cliff Pope

>> >> >> can anyone hear do an oil drop without lifting the car? >> Volvo 240 - dead easy. There is plenty of space to crawl under, and fit a large washing up bowl. But there's no need to nick it. If anyone really wants gallon cans of dirty 20/50 I will give it away. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 9 Feb 11 09:44   New type of car crime - oil theft - VxFan

>> can anyone hear do an oil drop without lifting the car? The vandals way, yes. Sharp screwdriver (or other pointy instrument) straight through the thin metal sump. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 9 Feb 11 12:00   New type of car crime - oil theft - Bromptonaut

>> can anyone hear do an oil drop without lifting the car? Pretty easy on the BX but that's cheating 'cos the car can be lifted with all four wheel still on the ground. Done it on a 205 as well thoug and I don't think it would be impossible on the Berlingo; secret is a slimline waste oil can. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 9 Feb 11 15:43   New type of car crime - oil theft - Ted

>> >> can anyone hear do an oil drop without lifting the car? >> Never lift the Suzi to do the oil. In a way, it's too high 'cos you have to hold the container up to the sump, especially when hot, as you don't know how far the oil will blurt out. I do lift it to do the filter as you can only get at it from underneeath with a 2 foot extension on the claw. There's a good chance it'll get to the end of the thread and fall on you if you're not careful. I've got 25 litres of old oil here if anyone local wants it for the fence ! Ted Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 9 Feb 11 19:02   New type of car crime - oil theft - Old Navy

>> I've got 25 litres of old oil here if anyone local wants it for the >> fence ! >> >> Ted >> No thanks Ted, you are a bit off my patch. Don't your council tip have an oil recycling facility? Ours does, and next to the tank a bin for the plastic cans. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 21:46   New type of car crime - oil theft - RattleandSmoke

I thought it was vandalism really but my customer is the nice and optimistic type and think it is somebody very poor who has stolen it. I on the other hand think it was chavs who have done it as a sick prank. If the note wasn't left it would probably need a new engine. Luckily her neighbour helped her jack the car up and she had some oil so no damage was done, she got a free half oil change if anything. My other thought was if the plug just fell out but that would not explain the note, all very odd. Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Tue 8 Feb 11 at 21:47 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 21:59   New type of car crime - oil theft - Harleyman

>> Theft or sabotage? >> I'd suspect the latter. Is she by any chance a teacher or suchlike? Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 22:09   New type of car crime - oil theft - Mark

I suspect a form of attention seeking by the OP Please....... who wants 4lt of used engine oil Psst..... I have used engine oil, nylons, fags get a grip I have doubts..... As always Mark Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Tue 8 Feb 11 22:11   New type of car crime - oil theft - RattleandSmoke

I can assure the incident did happen, unless my customer is telling me lies. The police also have a record of it as it was reported. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 22:16   New type of car crime - oil theft - Robin O'Reliant

You're the victim of a wind up, Rattle. Nobody would steal used engine oil and if it was vandals they'd have left it drain on the ground. And someone saw them do it, realised the car wasn't theirs, took the trouble to write a note and leave it under the windscreen but didn't bother to call the police? No way. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 22:18   New type of car crime - oil theft - RattleandSmoke

Well she said there was traces of oil on the ground but didn;t think it was enough for it to be the entire contents but I have no idea how far about 4 litres of oil (which I guess is how much a Nissan micra has?) would spread. I really cannot see how she would be trying to wind me up, it is possible. I suspect it is vandalism. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 22:24   New type of car crime - oil theft - Harleyman

>> Well she said there was traces of oil on the ground but didn;t think it >> was enough for it to be the entire contents but I have no idea how >> far about 4 litres of oil (which I guess is how much a Nissan micra >> has?) would spread. >> Come on guys, female Nissan Micra owner.... when was the last time she checked the oil level? ;-) (Dons tin hat, jumps into foxhole and awaits incoming from Pat!) Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 22:25   New type of car crime - oil theft - RattleandSmoke

She knows a bit about cars. She only checked the oil because a note was left on a windscreen. If there was no note she would not have checked. The colour of the car is quite unusual though and that is anothe reason I suspect vandalism. Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Tue 8 Feb 11 at 22:26 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 23:04   New type of car crime - oil theft - Harleyman

She only checked the oil because a note was >> left on a windscreen. If there was no note she would not have checked. >> I rest my case. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 22:28   New type of car crime - oil theft - Robin O'Reliant

>> Well she said there was traces of oil on the ground but didn;t think it >> was enough for it to be the entire contents but I have no idea how >> far about 4 litres of oil (which I guess is how much a Nissan micra >> has?) would spread. >> Believe me Rattle, if you'd ever accidently kicked over a bowl of oil you'd just drained from the sump (cough cough) you'd know it would spread forever and a day. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 22:30   New type of car crime - oil theft - RattleandSmoke

Very odd then but I suppose they would have had to collect the oil for the prank to work. It would not have worked if the car was stood in a poole of oil. And yes I know from my bike oil if I splash a bit on the pavement it looks like I have spilit a lot more. Not sure what job she does but I can see her as a teacher and because of the colour of the car it would be impossible to mistake it. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 8 Feb 11 23:52   New type of car crime - oil theft - Bagpuss

When I lived in Manchester in the 80s I had the wheelnuts on all 4 wheels loosened whilst my car was standing in the car park at the place I worked. This was pre-CCTV but I told the security guy who contacted the police who told him, yes, this was a jolly prank that the local yoof liked to play on car drivers. Loosen all the wheelnuts and see what happens. I would have doubted my sanity but for the fact that all the wheelnut covers had mysteriously disappeared. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 9 Feb 11 11:43   New type of car crime - oil theft - Armel Coussine

Something similar happened to me, just once, outside my old house in North Kensington. The car was a Skoda, drain plug easy to get at on the o/s behind the rear wheel. The drain plug had been taken. I saw the oil on the road, but if my wife had been going to drive she might not have. Got a drain plug from one of the breakers then conveniently situated just down the road in Nottting Dale (they were suppressed years ago). In 36 years at that address only two other acts of deliberate vandalism came my way: one stabbed tyre and one splash of pink distemper on my silver Renault 18. But had one car written off by someone driving a Toyota Supra on a wet night while it was parked there. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 9 Feb 11 11:45   New type of car crime - oil theft - Alanovich

This does seem a similar sort of prank to putting sugar in petrol tanks. Rings true to me as an extremely vindictive prank. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 9 Feb 11 11:51   New type of car crime - oil theft - Dog

>>Something similar happened to me, just once, outside my old house in North Kensington<< I'm no ex spurt on these matters but - it could be that the drain plug had more value than the car. :-D Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 9 Feb 11 12:02   New type of car crime - oil theft - Zero

>> but if my wife had been going to drive she might not have. Got a >> drain plug from one of the breakers then conveniently situated just down the road in >> Nottting Dale (they were suppressed years ago). Oh yes - I know him, Made a fortune selling drain plugs back to owners, retired to the country. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 9 Feb 11 15:12   New type of car crime - oil theft - Tooslow

It could have been one of this lot (draining the oil, not nicking AC's plug). BBC web news has an item about cost reductions in Greater Manchester police force. The top man is making some sensible and up-beat remarks. He says (amongst other things); "one family, which had been involved in a series of incidents, had cost his force £50,000 over 12 months. You could say that it would have been cheaper if we'd had a police officer living with them.". That's a £50k cost to thepolice. That doesn't count social services and all the rest, not to mention the cost to the neighbours with the theft and vandalism. I can think of cheaper solutions still... John www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-12364741 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 9 Feb 11 21:27   New type of car crime - oil theft - Lygonos

Possible scenario (and I suspect more likely) - the sump plug fell out while she was driving, she drove home and walks away from a car with almost no oil in it - a bit runs out under the car while it is standing, perhaps enough to make a small slick to draw the attention of a couple of passing yoofs.. these yoofs then crouch down and peer under the car to see where the oil is coming from, and then off they go. Nosey parker sees 2 chavs looking under a car and decides they were up to no good. The original story as per the OP is utter cack - "oil was pouring out" after the yoofs were under the car.. and then there was little trace of it. Imagine a Micra, sump-plug undone, with a 5 litre container catching the oil - how the hell could you see oil pouring out as you walk past? Correct answer: you couldn't unless you got down on hands and knees and peered under the car. Or maybe it can be chalked up with tales about Marc Almond and Richard Gere. Last edited by: Lygonos on Wed 9 Feb 11 at 21:30 Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 10 Feb 11 10:41   New type of car crime - oil theft - L'escargot

>> Possible scenario (and I suspect more likely) - the sump plug fell out while she >> was driving, .............. Rattle said "She looked unerneath (sic) it and saw the sump plug on the floor ..........* Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 10 Feb 11 13:58   New type of car crime - oil theft - Lygonos

But didnt see the big black box the oil was draining ("pouring") into. Riiiiiigghtt. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 10 Feb 11 14:05   New type of car crime - oil theft - John H

>> The original story as per the OP is utter cack - >> par for the course! ;-) Reply to this message | Report message