Life
New Crime Called Sliding Is Happening At Gas Station
Make sure you are aware of this so you can protect yourself.
D.G. Sciortino
09.06.17

Yet another scam has surfaced that requires you to stay alert and vigilant while you’re at the gas station.

We’ve all heard about the card skimmer scam where criminals will install a fake casing over credit card readers at gas stations and stores to steal your financial information.

But you probably haven’t heard of the “slider scam” yet which law enforcement is warning the public about.

It involves thieves “sliding” into your car when you’re not paying attention and pumping your gas. According to WKYT, one thief will sneak up to your car and open your door while you aren’t looking and grab whatever valuables they can before sneaking away unnoticed.

WKYT
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WKYT

The next thing you know is that your purse, wallet, or cell phone is missing.

“People need to realize this is happening,” Major Rob Jones of the Corbin Police Department in Kentucky told WKYT.

Jones’ police department started hearing about the “sliding” scam in 2013.

The occurrences were happening because people assumed the lost their items at the store they were previously shopping at and were completely unaware that their car had been broken into.

YouTube Screenshot
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YouTube Screenshot

“It really makes you think,” said Jones.

Surveillance footage has come from gas stations all over the country that show these “sliders” in the act and just how easy it is for them to pull off this crime.

“If the person whose pumping gas is facing away from the car, it’s just a perfect opportunity for them to quietly sneak in and grab what they’re looking for, get back and make a quick getaway in the car,” Sgt. Brian Unmisig of the Pinellas Park Police Department in Florida told ABC Action News.

Kentucky resident Mary Cumpston said she heard about the scam on social media and has been taking precautions ever since.

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“I’ve seen it on Facebook where people were getting their purses stolen out of the passenger side,” she told WKYT. “Ever since I saw that I’ve been carrying my purse with me.”

According to Jones, sliders literally need only a few seconds to steal your belongings.

“They can be in the car, back in their car, and on the interstate from our major gas areas in less than three to five minutes,” he explains. “So, they’re already gone.”

Corbin says it’s crucial that you lock your car doors no matter how long you plan to be out of your vehicle, even if you’re standing right next to it.

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