# Be Careful at the Gas pump!

**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/be-careful-at-the-gas-pump/234367
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [August 1, 2007, 6:07pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/be-careful-at-the-gas-pump/234367 "2007-08-01T18:07:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![DanontheMoon](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex011/user_avatar/forum.kirupa.com/danonthemoon/32/7436_2.png) [@DanontheMoon](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/DanontheMoon)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2007, 6:07pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/be-careful-at-the-gas-pump/234367/1 "2007-08-01T18:07:55Z")

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Someone just sent me this. I don’t know if this is for real or not (I’m still struck by disbelief that someone would do this), but do be careful.

> Read this before your next gas fill-up. Folks: Please take a couple  
> minutes to read this warning about Gas Pumping Handles. Warning: Look at  
> the gas pump handle BEFORE you pump your gas. Please read and forward to anyone you know who drives a car.

My name is Captain Abraham Sands of the Jacksonville , Florida, Police  
Department. I have been asked by state and local authorities to write  
this email in order to get the word out to car drivers of a very  
dangerous prank that is occurring in numerous states. Some person or  
persons have been affixing hypodermic needles to the underside of gas  
pump handles! These needles appear to be infected with HIV positive  
blood.

In the Jacksonville area alone, there have been 17 cases of  
people being stuck by these needles over the past five (5) months. We  
have verified reports of at least 12 others in various states around the  
country. It is believed that these may be copycat incidents due to  
someone reading about the crimes or seeing them reported on television.  
At this point no one has been arrested and catching the perpetrator’s)  
has become our top priority. Shockingly, of the 17 people who where  
stuck, 8 have tested HIV positive and because of the nature of the  
disease, the others could test positive in a couple years. Evidently the  
consumers go to fill their car with gas, and when picking up the pump  
handle get stuck with the infected needle.

IT IS IMPERATIVE TO CAREFULLY CHECK THE HANDLE of the gas pump each time you use one. LOOK AT EVERY SURFACE YOUR HAND MAY TOUCH, INCLUDING ! UNDER THE HANDLE!

If you dofind a needle affixed to one, immediately contact your local police  
department so they can collect the evidence. PLEASE HELP US BY  
MAINTAINING A VIGILANCE, AND BY FORWARDING THIS EMAIL TO ANYONE YOU KNOW WHO DRIVES. THE MORE PEOPLE WHO KNOW OF THIS, THE BETTER PROTECTED WE CAN ALL BE. (the guy who wrote this loves caps, huh? -Dan)

Rose Lambert, Chief Aide to Supervisor Gerry Hyland, Mount Vernon  
District, 2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria, VA 22306.  
PLEASE READ THIS AND PASS IT ON!!

Be careful out there, K-landers…