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Hearing that “sliders” are becoming more prevalent sounds like good news for hamburger lovers. Sadly, these sliders are anything but satisfying.

One of the downsides to people installing increased home security measures, like video doorbells, is that thieves are taking greater risks in places other than homes.

Gas stations have borne the brunt of this issue.

If you think about it, the gas station is an ample location for thievery to take place.

People are easily distracted thanks to the meters/card machines. And most people leave valuable things in their cars while they’re doing this.

One worrying new criminal trend, that is especially prevalent in Southern California, is sliding.

Sliders are thieves that stealthily sneak (or “slide”) up to people’s cars at gas stations and swipe items while their victims are distracted.

Often, the victims of this crime are unaware that anything has been stolen until it’s too late. Sometimes, they are miles away from the crime scene until they notice anything amiss.

A slider only needs four or five seconds of distraction on the part of a car owner to get away with their crime.

Just think, the last time that you went to the gas station, how long were you focusing on something other than your car?

Of course, sometimes the sliders get caught in the act of stealing.

Sadly, they tend to target people that are less physically strong, meaning that sometimes, the thieves get away anyway. Other times, they are caught and have to relinquish their stolen items. But even if this happens, many still sprint away before being apprehended.

Additionally, if you do fall victim to a slider and catch them in the act, all crime experts recommend letting the thief run. After all, if the choice is your property or your life, the answer is obvious.

Prevention measures are simple yet effective. When you’re at the gas station, lock the car, take your keys with you, keep your belongings out of plain sight and stay aware of your surroundings. By taking these precautions, you should be able to avoid becoming a victim of sliding.

While sliding is most prevalent in Southern California, it happens all over the US.

For instance, in February, a lady in Atlanta fell victim to a slider crime. She had never even heard of such a thing beforehand. Luckily, in her case, the police were able to recover her stolen items within the space of one day.

Sadly, coronavirus has only made slider crimes more prevalent.

While most crime is down, robberies at gas stations are rising. That’s because they’re one of the few places that thieves still have the ability to access victims, with only essential businesses still being open and more people staying in what would otherwise be easy target homes.

In fact, some gas stations are hiring increased armed security in an attempt to deter slider thieves.

The need for this measure is increased, as many areas in the US are currently not prosecuting thieves due to coronavirus restrictions in jails and courthouses.

So next time you’re at the gas station, be aware that slider thieves may be operating and that they only need a few seconds to commit their crime.

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Source: Inside Edition, FOX 5 Atlanta, 11 Alive