Gas Drive-Off's Could Hit Record Levels

By Justin Foss, Reporter

By Justin Foss

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Cedar Rapids Police Department says the number of gas drive-off's could set a record this month.

Last May, the P.D. said the city hit a new high with 94 reported drive-off's.

Last month the officers already counted 78, and they're expecting this May to be more than 100.

Every time some fills up their tank, and not the till, cashiers at one Cedar Rapids B.P. gas station get left with the tab. Clerks know it comes with the job, and they've got a message for the crooks.

"I'd probably tell them I have to pay for your crime, its not very fair," said cashier Marie Keller.

The Cedar Rapids police department started tracking gas drive-off's five years ago. Looking at the stats, there's a direct link between the higher gas prices and more drive-off's.

With each one gas stations say their costs go up, and ultimately their prices do too.

Even though the numbers don't show it, stealing gas isn't limited to gas stations.

"We've always had gas thefts and I project we're going to see a lot more them, because it happened to me," said Jones County Sheriff Mark Denniston.

Someone siphoned gas from Denniston's personal truck. It was in his driveway while he was on vacation.

Now, he doesn't completely fill his tank anymore, it's his way to protect himself.

Gas stations prevent drive-offs by requiring customers to pre-pay for gas.

But, they say if they do that they'll lose customers. Unless everyone does it.

The decision-makers at places like Casey's and Road Ranger, haven't returned TV9's calls yet to explain why they haven't gone pre-pay.

Email Justin Foss at Justin.Foss@kcrg.com

Friday, May 9 at 1:26 PM Ironic wrote ...

Even with the price of oil rising, last year oil companies had record profits. Unbeliveable.

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Friday, May 9 at 12:00 PM Gas Prices wrote ...

As for how I fill up, I swipe my credit card and fill up. Why make the clerk inside have to do all of the work. You guys that go pay inside are stuck in the 70's. If your a low income family and can't afford gas, carpool or take the bus. Stealing because your poor is wrong. The way gas prices are skyrocketing, I doubt this will be a problem much longer, as NONE of use will be able to afford to fill up and we'll all be riding our bikes to work.

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Friday, May 9 at 11:58 AM D wrote ...

What I hate is that I put in my debit card and can only get $35.00 worth of gas at a time, why do the people who commit crimes have more rights than the rest of us who follow the law and pay for our gas? Why do we stand for this? If someone breaks the law, punish them, not the rest of us........

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Friday, May 9 at 10:51 AM Anonymous wrote ...

all convenience stores have a certain amount each year that they can use for drive offs, its not ethical to make the emplyoyees pay for it, but then if you work at the hawkeye station, not only do you have to pay for drive offs, you have to pay for the returned checks that you accept on your shift if they cant collect from the customer, sounds like the gas companies are giving the public the shaft again

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Friday, May 9 at 10:44 AM MOOSE HUNTER wrote ...

I refuse to wait in line to pre-pay behind the "lotto addict" who wants to stand there reeking of cigarettes, playing lotto, and having the clerk check all of his other tickets. No thanks. I'll go somewhere else. How about a chain of gas stations that don't sell lotto? That would be nice.

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Friday, May 9 at 8:48 AM Adult wrote ...

Why would an employee have to pay anything towatds someone committing a crime! There should be a camera up to catch the crimminal and this act of retailers IS against the law!

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Friday, May 9 at 8:45 AM word nerd wrote ...

There is no apostrophe in "offs." Apostrophes are not used in plural settings.

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Friday, May 9 at 8:34 AM snickerdoodle wrote ...

I worked for a gas station in Iowa City that had a policy of 3 driveoffs a month and you were fired...unless you got a plate number and filed a police report. It was your job to ring everyone up and pay attention to what was going on at the pumps. People that pump gas and drive up to the door to "free up the pump for someone else" used to make me nervous. We had 16 pumps and during peak hours it was near impossible to keep track of them all and ring customers at the same time.

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Friday, May 9 at 8:09 AM All for prepay IF........ wrote ...

I like the idea of prepay, but the main problem I find when I do prepay, is they limit me to $50. Even when I have had a balance of thousands of dollars in all my accounts, it still limits me to $50 dollars via prepay. This is ridiculous, I hate gas stations and I hate filling up. It costs me roughly 70 dollars to fill up. The $50 limit at some places just means I have to fill up that much sooner :(

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Friday, May 9 at 7:45 AM Anonymous wrote ...

You know, its not the big oil companys that are hitting us for the high prices. Its our local state and federal gov. Oil companys make around 18 cents per "barrel". State makes 18-40 cents per gallon and federal makes around 18 cents per gallon. So, if you want gas prices to drop, talk to the local gov.

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Friday, May 9 at 6:57 AM steve wrote ...

when u prepay the pump shuts off automaticlly u cant go over.

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Friday, May 9 at 6:54 AM Just pay at the pump already!!! wrote ...

What's the big deal about having to pay before you pump? I don't care if gas was only $1.00 a gallon, I like the convienece of not having to walk all the way up to the store, wait in line to pay, etc. I like the ease of just swiping the card, pumping the gas, and going on my way. Yes the price of gas stinks, but don't be a jerk and not pay for you gas. If the cashiers are getting stuck with the bill it just makes it harder on them to pay their bills and buy their gas!

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Friday, May 9 at 6:16 AM thinking now wrote ...

Gee. Lets stop driving as much, lower the demand and the prices will drop. While we are at it lets the gas hogs and buy more efficent vehicles and use even less gasoline. This will screw the big oils and oil nations.

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Friday, May 9 at 6:08 AM Comments wrote ...

I won't pay for gas first. I won't stand in line behind someone doing 100 lotto tickets to do so. Use the credit card and charge the drive offs back to Exxon. I don't buy gas from Mobil OR BP.

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Friday, May 9 at 3:17 AM Camera's pay wrote ...

The use of cameras that are set to catch the plate number and face of customers has all but stopped drive off where my daughter works. The cameras are in plain sight and are mentioned on the pumps. Monitors inside the store display a live view along with recording the information.

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Thursday, May 8 at 10:41 PM ANONYMOUS wrote ...

I'm all for the pre-pay. I use my debit card. I can't remember the last time I went in to pay for gas. I swipe, fill and go, its easy. Almost everyone has a debit card these days anyway.

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Thursday, May 8 at 10:17 PM parent wrote ...

just talked to workforce no company can force you to pay into the till for someone elses theft if you are made to then make a claim with the workforce developement center. It is ilegal for a company to make you pay for someone elses theft. Had it happen to my kid and will be reporting a claim and complaint.

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Thursday, May 8 at 10:03 PM jack w. wrote ...

Just do prepay. They're complaining about a problem that could be fixed very easily. Sure, it'd be something to get used to, but if they want to fix the problem, then they need to take action.

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Thursday, May 8 at 9:41 PM ????????? wrote ...

Huh! I wonder why?!?!?

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Thursday, May 8 at 8:46 PM Wrong.. it's stealing wrote ...

Oh well, get real. People aren't forgetting they stealing gas. It stinks that gas is so expensive but stealing is stealing. You can justify it however you want, it's stealing. Thank these idiots if all stations become pre-pay.

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Thursday, May 8 at 8:33 PM Frustrated wrote ...

If the oil barons would quit gouging, the price of gas would go down a lot. It's just too bad that the profits the refineries make don't go back into it the way it should. The top level execs get big bonuses to sit on their duffs... Lower the gas prices, and you won't have the drive offs. Don't forget, I'm sure shoplifting will rise too.....

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Thursday, May 8 at 7:39 PM Low Income wrote ...

I don't agree with stealing gas at all, but people in very low income families have to make tough choices when it comes to spending money. Feed the kids and get the bills paid,or pay for gas and kids go hungry. If I were in a situation like that I don't know what I would do either. It just an unfortunate evil that cannot really be helped with gas prices riseing over 200% in the past couple years.

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Thursday, May 8 at 7:28 PM hmmmm wrote ...

Well ya know anytime I stop at a gas station that requires pre pay i drive off and go find me another gas station that trusts it's customers I no longer purchase anything from places like that. Put cameras up if your that worried not that hard to do. ASking us to wait in the line at the gas station twice is rediculous....Does walmart aske me to pay for stuff before I put it in my cart?? most gas tations can eat a 50 dollar tank of gas every now and then

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Thursday, May 8 at 6:48 PM Adam wrote ...

I have never understood why Iowa doesn't just do what many states AND other countries do. Require people to pay first. Walk in, pay, then pump. If you paid more than you filled then you go back in and get your change. Even with that system you still can pay at the pump. It just removes the ability to pump gas and drive off without paying. I would expect them to switch to that soon, its an easy no cost solution. Also nothing new to anyone who lived outside of Iowa.

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Thursday, May 8 at 6:39 PM ken wrote ...

Want to stop gas theft ,I know it would cost to do this but either people pre pay or get cameras and put them up.I know its more big brother but some people just dont get it.

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Thursday, May 8 at 6:37 PM Oh well. wrote ...

Maybe more people are forgetting or maybe they had an emergency. I was thinking about driving my diesel around CR with a fuel nozzle and hose in the inlet, gotta break the tension ya know.

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Thursday, May 8 at 6:33 PM Erin wrote ...

I wouldn' doubt it....with gas prices Soaring. Are you Kidding???

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Thursday, May 8 at 5:19 PM siggirl wrote ...

I've lived in a city that required payment before pumping and it's no big deal. And that was before pay at the pump so if it will help keep prices down and cashiers from spitting in the coffee pot then all stations need to do it. Customer will adjust and it just makes sense.

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Thursday, May 8 at 4:33 PM student wrote ...

the cashiers get stuck with the bill? now thats a load of bull, the company should have to absorb that loss, not the person just trying to make a way in life. even walmart doesnt make thier employees pay the bill if a customer steals!

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