PORTLAND, Ore. -- Gas theft at local U-Haul shops has become a daily occurrence, workers at the rental van business said Tuesday.

U-Haul workers said thieves often siphon small amounts of gas into gas cans, but the thefts have added up to big bucks.

"We do get a lot of gas siphoned here," said Ryan Peterson, who works at the U-Haul on Southeast 48th Avenue and Powell Boulevard. "(And) we're not supposed to rent out trucks with less than a quarter-tank."

Peterson said locking gas caps aren't a solution because the brazen thieves will do more than simply siphon what they can from the tank.

"Sometimes they'll get underneath it so they can get every drop out of it," Peterson said.

George Hatfield, who works at the U-Haul on 77th Avenue and Foster Boulevard, said fuel theft has become a nightly problem at his lot, too.

"They're pretty ruthless; they like to drill holes in the tanks, which isn't the safest idea," Hatfield said.

He said it's also happened in broad daylight.

"My manager does a walk-around in the morning, and there's nothing gone," Hatfield said. "He'll go back out in the afternoon; they'll have gas cans out there and hoses sticking out of the trucks."

Portland police said they're keeping a close eye on moving truck lots that have been hit hard by gas thefts. Many U-haul shops have stepped up their surveillance.

"We have new security cameras," Peterson said. "We're also thinking about doing more security and even camping out here because we can't afford to lose that much gas."

In addition to moving vans, police said more rental car lots have also been hit lately.

U-Haul Lots Hit Hard By Gas Thieves