Drive offs

[edible_hat]

The now-locked thread in which someone who has no idea what they're talking about said that all you need to prevent drive offs is a security camera system reminded me of this:

It was a few years ago, when I was working at a site that did pre-pay at night. People would steal a car in the city, steal some petrol on their way down south (they didn't care about the camera system because it wasn't their car), joyride for a bit, then push the car over a cliff into the sea.

Anyway, I had this conversation more than once (with the same SC)

(at the end of the transaction)
SC: "How come you treat people like criminals?"
Me: "We've moved to a pre-pay system because of a few thieves ruining it for everyone else."
SC: "Well that's not good enough. You should get the government to act on your behalf." (indignantly stomps out to his car, and drives away without getting the fuel he just paid for)


The thieves near my work have started using the pre-sets on the pumps so they look more like legitimate customers. They use fake or stolen number plates to avoid detection.

[marasbaras]

The police really do try to get stolen property back when they catch the thieves. But, when the stolen property is in a mangled and rusting tank at the bottom of a cliff, even the most diligent of police won't return it.

Shorter put: What a twit.

[smileyeagle1021]

SC: "Well that's not good enough. You should get the government to act on your behalf." (indignantly stomps out to his car, and drives away without getting the fuel he just paid for)

why do I get the feeling that if you did get the government to act on your behalf would be there complaining about the government meddling in everyone's affairs...?

[edible_hat]

why do I get the feeling that if you did get the government to act on your behalf would be there complaining about the government meddling in everyone's affairs...?

Thievery's been illegal ever since laws were invented, so the government already had acted on our behalf by making it possible to prosecute the tiny tiny minority that get caught.

Last week the drag shift managed to limit one drive off to $6. He thought "something looked weird" so he turned the pump off, and they drove away.

[VenomX]

We have had ONE person get in trouble for doing a drive off.
That was the only time the police actually did something, and get this... it was for $5. They sent a summons through the mail to the lady, she was told what the penalty was and she came in crying and offered to pay the $5 if we dropped the charges. Not sure what happened to her.
I wish the police here would act more when we have drive offs.

[MadMike]

$5? That wouldn't even get you to the end of the block these days.

[texasbelle5]

It has been pre-pay only for years here in Arizona. I don't understand why it's not pre pay everywhere.

[edible_hat]

It has been pre-pay only for years here in Arizona. I don't understand why it's not pre pay everywhere.

Because people whinge and moan and don't buy anything in the store. Despite the rising pump prices, fuel is a loss leader for the retailers.

[Raieth]

after converting to pre-pay here in bc on feb 1. We (my store) have noticed a noticable drop in impuse candy/pop/chip sales.

Thankfully almost all our profit comes from cigarettes and lottery tickets.

[Imprl59]

Florida became all prepay by law some time back. I think it made it a lot easier for the service stations as they can now avoid the "why are you treating me like a thief" sentiment. I sure understand why they have to do it... One of my cars was $75 to fill up tonight. That hurts!!!

The stations here also are not allowed to sell fuel below cost.

Steve B.

[edible_hat]

The stations here also are not allowed to sell fuel below cost.

Here the usual practice is that Wednesday afternoon the price goes up to 3 cents above cost, then slowly comes down over the next week until by Wednesday morning it's 4-5 cents below cost. Then on Wednesday afternoon it goes up again.

I support my employer by buying my fuel from our competitors when I know they're selling below cost.

[Lil Bunny]

Back in the day (Ok maybe 9 years ago) when prices started going closer to a buck and a half, we started getting drive offs at a place I worked. How I'd kill for those prices now...*sigh*

I literally walked out to the pumps and got the license/make/model of the car along with the description of the person(s) pumping or in the car. I'm seriously right there, many times even saying hi to the person and they still drive off. Nice huh? Want to guess how many times people were gone after? Yeah, double sigh.

I have no problem with Pre pay/pay at the pump because of that. I just wish more pumps had the cash options like this one does. Man is it easier than running in! Sorry you guys that need the extra sales. I swear I do still run in a lot of times to get soda.

[NightWatch]

I guess I grew up in the pre-pay generation? I went to a gas pump once and went inside to pre-pay and they looked at me like I had one eye and told me they didn't do pre-pay before dark. It took me a minute to get it...
Side Note: I promise I still shop for snacks at the gas station when I go for fuel! Especially if I'm hanging out with my smoker friends who absolutely must go inside to get their fix.

[marasbaras]

Nice huh? Want to guess how many times people were gone after? Yeah, double sigh.

In a previous business, we had name, address, e-mail address, actual phone number, IP logs, and credit card numbers used by ONE person in an attempt to commit over $25,000 in fraudulent orders.

No law enforcement agency wanted to touch it. All Visa/MC said was "if there are chargebacks, you'll have to pay them".

[Slytovhand]

In a previous business, we had name, address, e-mail address, actual phone number, IP logs, and credit card numbers used by ONE person in an attempt to commit over $25,000 in fraudulent orders.

No law enforcement agency wanted to touch it. All Visa/MC said was "if there are chargebacks, you'll have to pay them".

yeah... sucks if operators don't bother to check signatures...something I will occasionally go ape over (cos I had mine stolen).

$5 drive-offs??? I was working at a place where they would regularly lose about $400 a drive-off. Apparently a regular trucky would come through in peak hour. Took a few months before he was caught (and I doubt most was recovered, because the operators wouldn't have gotten the vehicle details....need to be awake).