by KYW's Mike DeNardo
The nonprofit car-sharing organization Philly Car Share is pulling the gasoline credit cards out of its fleet, because too many of its cars were being vandalized by card-grabbing thieves.
Vandals have been breaking into Philly Car Share cars to steal the gasoline cards that stayed in a slot in each vehicle. The cards all had the same PIN code, which was posted on a dashboard sticker.
Citing what they call "repeated and widespread" vandalism, Philly Car Share has taken the cards out of its fleet, while they work on a more secure system.
Philadelphia police Lieutenant Frank Vanore says the Major Crimes Auto Squad is tracking the vandalism:
"It's occurring sporadically throughout, wherever the Car Share program is instituted. But it looks heavily... some of these thefts occurred in South Philadelphia, so that's where we're really concentrating our effort."
Philly Car Share isn't commenting on the move, or on the scope of the vandalism, but an e-mail to members says the new system will be available as soon as possible.
Until then, the cars have window stickers that read, "This car does not contain a gas card."
(Photo by KYW's Mike DeNardo)
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