More Gas Drive-Offs in ND This Year

More people are risking going to jail over gas... No one LIKES to pay almost $4 a gallon for ...  More »

More people are risking going to jail over gas... No one LIKES to pay almost $4 a gallon for gas but more drivers would rather take their chance with the law than to pay...In Bismarck there were four gas drive offs this weekend. Including one at Stamart where a driver put $500 worth of diesel into his truck and took off. And as Donnell Preskey reports an increase in gas thefts could mean an additional inconvience for you... Does the thought to Fill and Flee ever cross your mind? High Gas Prices are increasing the number of customers pulling away from the pump without paying. But this act pinches someone elses's pocket. (Mike Rud / ND Petroleum Marketers Assoc.) People who are good at process at gas thievery - know when to come - when busy - employees spread word watch whats going on in island. Mike Rud represents gas stations. Because of gas thefts some stations are talking about forcing customers to pay before they pump. A concept that's popular in other parts of the country but not in North Dakota. (Rud) it takes away some of the customer friendliness we try to develop as marketers - but if that's the direction people have to take to cover the attempt of people stealing gasoline that's what have to do. (Donnell Preskey) Rud says stations are reluctant to make customers prepay because it could affect their sales inside the store. (Rud) Seeing a downturn in amount of people buying things in the store because of $4.00 gasoline - whatever we can do to get them inside the store is critical right now for financial survival of most stores, cuz no money in gas or diesel at this time. Where pumps are placed also affect a stations decission. If an employee has a hard time reading license plates from the store then prepay pumping maybe the way to go. Rud says many gas stations already have made investments to deter and catch gas theives. (Rud) a lot of people have gone into video surveilance - sophistication ranges from a camera that shoots a wide angle of station to something that zooms into a license plate - some people paid 30-40,000 where you pull in and camera zooms in automatically on license plate. And for those who do drive off they risk paying the price in prison... Besides facing theft charges you can also get your drivers license taken away for stealing gas. Licenses can be suspended for three months for your second conviction or six months following your third conviction for gas theft. In the first six months of 2007 there were 27 gas drive offs in Bismarck. During that same time this year there have bee 45 gas thefts.  « Less