Theft rising price of gas goes up

Gas prices near record highs, theft of gas is on the rise. , David Paul Morris, Getty Images

Gasoline theft and compromise disk grows with gas prices.

By David Paul Morris, Getty Images

Gasoline theft and compromise disk grows with gas prices.

Regular gasoline averages $ 3.88 gallon to $ 1.02 from years ago and is likely to climb higher. Increasingly, consumers are pumping gas and driving without payment, stealing from other motorists and shattering many municipalities and gasoline Theft costs businesses. convenience store operators that sell about 80% of the fuel sold in the United States, more than $ 90 million in 2009. "No matter what," said representative Jeff Lenard of the National Association of convenience stores. "Any business which continues to pump gas first and then pay can be taken advantage of" Exits the pump-first, pay later Strip are located mainly in the Midwest and West, where some chains, such as A visible growth in Gas "drive-offs." Nancy couch, Director of loss prevention for eight States, 230-store chain, said drive-only about 1% of sales and generally increase as rising gas prices. In Moorhead, Minn. Chief Constable David Ebinger is stepping up patrols to combat the increase in thefts from stores stop-N-Go. among recent tales of stealing gas:

Price for a gallon of regular unleaded petrol:

Sources: AAA, oil price information service • in Conover, North Carolina, 280 gallons of fuel stolen from the eight trucks rolled into the official car. Owner Barry Lodge spent $ 3000 for observation equipment, extra lighting and security patrols. • Rusk County, Texas, officials are investigating the theft of 1500 gallons of diesel fuel from construction contractor W.T. Byler co. Fuel for about $ 5, 250. • In Thurston County, Washington, the thieves cut the lock on the fuel tanks and used gas from two districts trucksthe more than 100 gallons of gas and diesel. • San Diego, Jeff flowers and neighbors plan to put cameras outside their homes after thieves used gas from four cars Easter morning. This is the second time, flowers were sent. "I'm going to catch them the next time," he said. • Nashville experienced several massive thefts. Two men were arrested on charges of stealing more than 55 gallons of gas from Eastern station Mapco Nashville, opening the covers of underground fuel tanks and pumping out this month: Lone bright spot: surging sales of locking gas cap. Stant manufacturing, Connersville, Ind., supplier for PEP boys and Wal-Mart expects sales for eclipses of 2008, when sales hit record high gas prices. "We are ramping up since January," said marketing chief Chris Hoffman. "You could call his hedge fund."

Contributing: associated press

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