Jacksonville, Florida police department has been sending out emails in order to get the word out to car drivers of a dangerous prank that is occurring in numerous states.
Some person or persons has been affixing hypodermic needles to the underside of gas pump handles. The needles appear to be infected with HIV positive blood.
In the Jacksonville area alone, there have been 17 cases of people stuck by these needles over the past 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 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 were stuck, 8 have tested HIV positive and because of the nature of the disease, the others could test positive in a couple of years.
Evidently the consumers go to fill thier 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 find a needle affixed to one, contact your local police department so they can collect the evidence.
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I don't know if someone else has already posted this, it was new to me so I thought I'd pass it along.......apparently there are some twisted minds out there to be willing to do something like this.....
Gotta go guys, grab my kevlar gloves and gas up the rice burner..........
Some person or persons has been affixing hypodermic needles to the underside of gas pump handles. The needles appear to be infected with HIV positive blood.
In the Jacksonville area alone, there have been 17 cases of people stuck by these needles over the past 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 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 were stuck, 8 have tested HIV positive and because of the nature of the disease, the others could test positive in a couple of years.
Evidently the consumers go to fill thier 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 find a needle affixed to one, contact your local police department so they can collect the evidence.
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I don't know if someone else has already posted this, it was new to me so I thought I'd pass it along.......apparently there are some twisted minds out there to be willing to do something like this.....
Gotta go guys, grab my kevlar gloves and gas up the rice burner..........