Pump and Run - As Prices of Gasoline Rise So Does This New Criminal Activity
With the price of gas reaching upwards of $4.00 a gallon, it didn't take crooks long to think up another way to make law abiding citizens pay for their criminal behavior. The new scam is called "pump and run". This is very easy for the criminal to pull off and leaves you footing the bill.
Not many of us check to see if our license plates are still attached to our vehicles, but with this scam it is important that we do. The criminal merely takes your license plate off your vehicle and attaches it to their own cars (stolen cars they could care less). They then proceed to pull up to a gas station, fill their cars tank and then drive away without ever paying the tab. Hence the term "pump and run"!
If by chance the attendant or other paying customer happen to get the license plate number, the criminal is still in the clear because the license plate number that they obtain will be yours. It is imperative for any vehicle owner to check and make sure that their license plates are in tack on their vehicles. If you do find that they are missing you must report this to the authorities right away, before this criminal activity has taken place and you find yourself in court taking the blame.
Depending on your state the penalty for stealing a license plate can be as little as a $100 fine. Recently a Pennsylvania man was found guilty of stealing gasoline from a machinery dealer. His three year sentence was probation. It is a sad fact that although laws are tightening as prices of gasoline rise, when caught and convicted, little is done to these criminals.
Annie enjoys reading, studying herbal remedies and comparative shopping. She is a supporter of more funding for pancreatic cancer research and runs many 5k races for charity. She is very much involved with recycling and energy conservation.
