ALEXANDRIA, Va. ? Gasoline prices are inching toward record highs, and so are thefts of the fuel, USA Today reports. The regular unleaded gasoline average is $1.02 higher than a year ago and will continue to climb.��
With pump prices in an increasing number of locations hitting the $4 or more mark, drive-offs from fill-ups, as well as thefts of larger quantities of gasoline, has risen, too. Not surprisingly, gasoline thefts hurt convenience stores the most.
?No question that's [theft is] up,? said Jeff Lenard, NACS spokesman. ?Any business that still allows you to pump gas first and then pay can be taken advantage of.?�
While more gasoline stations are switching to prepayment pumps, retailers in the Midwest and West still have pump-first, pay-later operations. The Maverik chain is one that has had a bump in drive-offs, said Nancy Couch, the chain?s loss-prevention director. Drive-offs usually equal about 1 percent of sales.
In Indiana, the state Attorney General said that $4.17 per gallon gasoline is not price gouging, WISH-TV reports. Earlier this week, the office indicated it was investigating allegations of price fixing at gasoline stations.�
The AG?s office discovered that market factors drove up the cost of gasoline at two gasoline stations. Another station is still under investigation. Recently, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said a consumer watchdog group would be formed to keep an eye on the gas and oil market.
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