How do gas stations stop gas thieves without cars?

[PaulFitzroy]

Some of you will remember this
earlier post of mine about a gas station scam: putting on a fake plate, stealing gas and driving away.

It just occurred to me: what about people who walk up to a pump, fill up a gas can, and then just run away? Does this happen a lot? Maybe someone who has experience with gas stations (working at one, maybe) can tell us if it does,

[Ephemera]

I worked at a gas station for about six months and it was fairly common to have drive-offs. I'd usually get half a dozen a week.

In those situations, you're supposed to write down everything you can about the car and its occupants and then call the police but, obviously, that's a bit hard to do when you're swamped and you don't notice until you hear the tires squealing.

I don't think the cops ever caught a single person I reported.

[Ephemera]

Oh, hell. I just looked at the title of the thread and reread the OP and see my post was completely off-topic. Sorry about that.. I just wasn't paying attention.

We never had anyone without a car try to steal gas. Kerosene either, for that matter.

[snorlax]

It's probably not common because it is a high-risk/low-reward crime, considering you'd only be able to steal a few dollars' worth of gas and you'd have to be on foot (unless you were parked around the corner).

[aahala]

Originally Posted by PaulFitzroy

It just occurred to me: what about people who walk up to a pump, fill up a gas can, and then just run away? Does this happen a lot? Maybe someone who has experience with gas stations (working at one, maybe) can tell us if it does,

Is this really a concern? When is the last time you've seen someone running down the street carrying 5-gal. of gas?

[Ferret Herder]

Originally Posted by aahala

Is this really a concern? When is the last time you've seen someone running down the street carrying 5-gal. of gas?

That was my thought - gasoline (or other liquids, for that matter) is pretty heavy, not to mention conspicuous. If you had someone else "minding the store," you could probably easily chase down a pedestrian with a full gas can if you felt like it.

[danceswithcats]

If we compute based on the weight of water ~8.5#/G, then a 5G jug comes in @ ~42.5# + weight of container, so 45# is a reasonable guesstimate. Bear in mind though, that criminals aren't always the sharpest hoes in the tool shed.

[aahala]

Originally Posted by danceswithcats

If we compute based on the weight of water ~8.5#/G, then a 5G jug comes in @ ~42.5# + weight of container, so 45# is a reasonable guesstimate. Bear in mind though, that criminals aren't always the sharpest hoes in the tool shed.

LOL. When I first read "hoes", I wasn't thinking of the garden instrument.

[gazpacho]

It has been a long time since I have seen a gas station that did not make you prepay in some manor. Credit card at the pump to going back to the cashier and giving him cash. I think that cuts down on the theft quite a lot.

[LSLGuy]

Gaz,

That depends a LOT on where you are. In some parts of some countries, prepay is still an oddity. pump-then-pay the norm.

[HPL]

When the attendents see the thieves stealing gas, they hook a rope between their car and a small church nearby, so the car either cannot move, or has to drag the church down the street to escape.

[Peter Morris]

Don't they have security cameras at gas stations in America? They do in the UK. I'd have thought they would capture the licence plates of any cars, or a picture of anyone on foot.

[Hadrian0117]

Most of the gas stations where I live make you pay before you pump. That seems the easist way to prevent drive-offs.

[DrDeth]

Originally Posted by danceswithcats

If we compute based on the weight of water ~8.5#/G, then a 5G jug comes in @ ~42.5# + weight of container, so 45# is a reasonable guesstimate. Bear in mind though, that criminals aren't always the sharpest hoes in the tool shed.

Gasoline is actually quite a bit lighter than water. But that'd still make it at least 40#.

[Wikkit]

The density of gasoline is around 6.5 lb/gallon, so 5 gallons would weigh 32.5 lb.

While pay before you pump is standard in some areas, pay after is just as standard in others. I don't think there is a single station in this metropolis that requires you to pay before.

No, not all US gas stations have video cameras. Those who do sometimes have them only inside to record robberies.

[ouryL]

Originally Posted by Wikkit

The density of gasoline is around 6.5 lb/gallon, so 5 gallons would weigh 32.5 lb.

While pay before you pump is standard in some areas, pay after is just as standard in others. I don't think there is a single station in this metropolis that requires you to pay before.

No, not all US gas stations have video cameras. Those who do sometimes have them only inside to record robberies.

Quick!!

How much does a gallon of water weigh?

[Wikkit]

Originally Posted by ouryL

Quick!!

How much does a gallon of water weigh?

http://www.google.com/search?q=1+g%2Fml+in+lb%2Fgallon