Hackers Tap a California Gas Pump, Make Off with 528 Gallons

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An enterprising group of gas station hackers have been making their way around Southern California. Their latest heist saw them speed away with 528 gallons of gas priced at $4.28 per gallon from a Mobil station in Pasadena.

How’d they do it? CBS News is reporting that a hacked “credit card or other mechanism” was used to activate the pump and release the gas sometime after 2 AM PST, which the four masked individuals then funneled into flat containers aboard an unmarked white pickup truck. Police are saying that a similar theft occurred two weeks ago in Studio City that saw matching culprits make off with 1,700 gallons.

Mind you, $2259.84 in refined petroleum may not be the easiest way to make a quick buck in the streets, but with gas prices skyrocketing to record levels, it’ll be interesting to see if copycat gas hackers start popping up elsewhere.

(via CBS News)

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