Gas Prices Drive More Consumers to Steal

[hadrons]

NEW YORK - Early last week, a trailer pulled into a Chevron-branded filling station in Cottondale, Ala., to refuel. It ignited by accident, critically burning the driver — and the hundreds of gallons of gasoline local police allege he intended to steal.

As sticker shock at the pump shows few signs of abating, gasoline bandits are multiplying, pushing the rate of fuel theft to unprecedented levels. The trend illustrates that while gasoline demand remains relatively inelastic, consumer angst over high prices is steadily growing.

....

Gasoline theft costs filling stations nationwide about $237 million in 2004, or $2,141 a store, the association estimated. That's up from $112 million in 2003.

"We're not sure if 2005 will be another record year for gas theft, but even if incidences of theft remain the same, the impact will be greater because of the higher price of gas," association spokesman Jeff Lenard said.

....

"Behaviors like stealing do mean the real cost of gasoline has had some significant impacts on people," he said.

....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050621/ap_on_bi_ge/gasoline_theft

[Endangered Specie]

1. Bad Karma... Honorable mention.

(not quite a Darwin award).

[Geo55]

2. Jeeeezus

an' there ain't any real SHORTAGES yet.
Fasten yer seat belts kiddies.

"

[htuttle]

3. "Just give us the fuel, and walk away..."

[NashVegas]

4. I'm Just Waiting for People to Start Siphoning Again

I'm surprised it hasn't been happening already.

[DBoon]

10. Gas cap locks were once standard on cars

nt

[obxhead]

5. wow, that is a whole new "black market"

Think about it. If gas were $5 to $7 per gal I'll bet 20 stolen gallons would sell quick at $75. Then we might start seeing stories about cars/suvs breaking down due to "cut gas"
The crime seen is probably already drooling.

[Redstone]

6. Bullshit. It doesn't "drive consumers to steal." What a crock

of shit that headline is.

Maybe the price of gasoline drives THIEVES to steal, but I for one am not buying the whining tone of that article.

When I was a kid, my parents (and everyone else where I lived, pretty much) were relatively poor. We didn't go hungry (much), but it did mean that gasoline, like everything else, was though of as being expensive, and therefore not wasted.

But nobody, as far as I know, stole gas from the gas station...

That last line quoted in the original post makes me want to vomit. I do not believe that anyone in this country is actually driven by NEED to put gas in their car and not not pay for it.

Bah.

Redstone

[newswolf56]

7. The problem is already so bad in car-dependent...

...Washington state that Safeway now refuses to take checks at their gas stations.

[Erika]

8. Just a sign of our "strong" economy

Right? This is killing our low-income workers, hurting the middle income, and the rich don't care.

[Thor_MN]

9. When they start selling more locking gas caps than normal ones

you will know that we are in trouble. I was mildly disappointed that my 2004 Malibu didn't have a gas door release inside the car. You just open it. It won't be long now before the siphoning starts again.

[genieroze]

11. Everyone get a locking gas cap.

[Carolab]

12. Just make sure you siphon from vehicles with W stickers. n/t