ST. GEORGE – Vehicle burglaries continue to rise, but police are seeing another type of crime spike due to the economy – gas siphoning.

Sgt. Craig Harding said last week, one officer took five gas siphon calls in one day, and expected to see that continue each day. With gas prices soaring and not expected to lower soon, Harding said people are getting desperate and have turned to breaking the law.

“One moving business had 60 gallons siphoned out of it trucks in one night,” he said. “St. George Police have been watching early morning and late night hours for burglars, thieves, anyone at night operating suspiciously.”

Harding said the biggest problem is that residents don’t think crime can happen here.

“’This is St. George, this doesn’t happen here’,” he often hears people say. “And we keep having vehicle burglary after vehicle burglary. By letting down our guard, that enables criminals to exist.”

Harding said that many out-of-state criminals admit to coming to Washington County because the residents don’t have their guard up.

“We wish people would lock up their stuff a little bit,” Harding said. “Make it harder for people to target them. Vehicle burglaries are up like you can’t believe. We have numerous vehicle burglaries every night (and) people keep leaving their stuff in view, don’t lock their doors and leave their keys in their cars.”

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