Fri, Sep 05 2008
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Published July 18, 2008 12:47 pm - At $4.09 a gallon, regular unleaded and other fuel grades have become a sort of liquid gold. Capping it off By JOSH NEWTON TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS — At $4.09 a gallon, regular unleaded and other fuel grades have become a sort of liquid gold.
In Oklahoma City, fuel theft seems to be on the rise, although reports from around the country often indicate such thefts are not necessarily on the rise. But police officials quickly point out that many people simply don’t report fuel theft. Nevertheless, more and more people are taking precautionary steps. And gas stations have started to protect themselves by requiring payment before pumping fuel. “That has cut down [on gas drive-offs] considerably,” said Tahlequah Police Department Public Information Officer Brad Robertson. Robertson checked reports, and confirmed TPD hasn’t received fuel-theft or drive-off complaints in a while. He and local station managers know many people find it inconvenient to pay before pumping. “But you’ve got to understand,” said Robertson, “it’s too big a risk not to.” Station managers occasionally turn on the pumps when well-known customers pull up outside. But they can’t know everyone, or their agendas. “They’re going to do it [drive off without paying]; it doesn’t matter what you do,” said one local station owner. “We’ve had people drive up, we turn the pump on for them, then [after filling up] they flip you the bird, get in their car and drive off.” That becomes very costly, especially when many stations earn little to no profit from fuel sales. If a person fills up a car with a 13-gallon tank and drives off without paying, that’s an approximate $55 loss. For trucks with bigger tanks – perhaps 32 gallons – that run on diesel, at about $4.60 per gallon, the loss jumps to nearly $150. The public is also taking extra steps to prevent fuel theft. AutoZone Commercial Manager Stephen Brown says locking gas caps have recently been a hot commodity. Those who use them lock and unlock them with a key, as with other locks. “With gas being as high as it is, we’re selling more and more,” said Brown. The locking caps generally cost between $10 and $20, but if they deter even one would-be thief, it’s a small price to pay to protect a tank full of gas. “They work really well,” said Brown. Experts say a determined thief can get around the gas cap lock, but most agree it works to slow them down. In broad daylight, the more time it takes a thief to open a cap, the more likely someone will notice, or the thief will give up. 
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