Rising gas prices cause rising gas theft in U.S.

As gas prices continue to rise, so have reports about gas theft in the United States, either through stolen credit cards, or straight out of the tank, ABC News reported.

Michelle Severns said she left her Jeep with half a tank of gas Saturday, but when she got into it Sunday it was empty. She believes someone stole her gas. "I guess you see a Jeep, you see a big possible gas tank and opportunity," she said.

With gas prices soaring, experts say it's not surprising to see gas being stolen. In some cases thieves are stealing at the pump, often using stolen credit cards or getting it from the underground tanks. Other times, they steal directly from cars by siphoning it out or drilling a hole in the tank.

Criminologists say there's a correlation between inflation and crime in general.

"As we shift the economic reality, I predict crime is going to go up. It's going to be more serious," said Alex Del Carmen, PhD, criminologist at Tarleton State University.