Gas Thief Caught in the Act

A gasoline tank sitting near a car was the first thing that caught one Campbell police officer's attention.

He decided to park his car and stake out the situation.

A 42-year-old man returned to the car and began stealing its gasoline.

"It's out of the ordinary," said Campbell Police Capt. Dave Carmichael. "Usually, people siphon out the gas but this guy was drilling holes into the gas tank."

Police apprehended Mark Keirnan at 4:45 a.m. on the 1100 block of Linda Drive Nov. 27 and arrested him. Keirnan admitted to four gas thefts and was on parole for burglary.

"It sounds like a small thing," Carmichael said of the crime. "But if you woke up to go to work and your gas tank had a hole in it, it's a big deal.

"This is just another example of what we do," he continued. "Our officers are out there looking for these kinds of things and hopefully make people feel safe."