Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[New pump technology prevents gas theft, lets you pay after pumping [w/poll]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/20/new-pump-technology-prevents-gas-theft-lets-you-pay-after-pumpi/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/20/new-pump-technology-prevents-gas-theft-lets-you-pay-after-pumpi/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/20/new-pump-technology-prevents-gas-theft-lets-you-pay-after-pumpi/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Post-Pay driver's license scanner

Depending on where you live and what gas stations you frequent, finding a pump that will let you pay after filling up is getting tougher and tougher. In an effort to curb absconders who drive off without paying, gas station owners have been forced to ratchet up security measures, leading most to go prepay only, whether that's inside the store or by swiping one's card at the pump.

But prepaying can be an inconvenience - particularly if you're settling up with cash - resulting in multiple trips to the storefront to plunk down dollars, then to return for the change and receipt. It's a small thing, but it can be an annoyance - particularly in places that experience real winters like Michigan. Thus, it should come as no surprise that a Saginaw, Michigan Marathon station is one of the first to try out a new anti drive-off security measure called Post-Pay. The system allows motorists to fill up their vehicle without paying first - provided they swipe their driver's license into the card reader.

Bob Hohn, President of Paxson Oil Company, invented the measure, having grown tired of his stores losing hundreds of dollars a week to drive-offs. According to a report by WJR-TV, the Connecticut-made Post-Pay system does not keep the buyer's information on file unless he or she is reported as a drive-off, at which point both the police and gas station are furnished with the offender's particulars. In fact, the station attendant never even sees the consumer's information under normal circumstances. Naturally, the Post-Pay system still accommodates people who'd rather pay with cash or card up front.

In the two months since the system was adopted, WJR-TV reports that the Marathon station has had just one drive off - as opposed to the three or four it averaged weekly before Post-Pay was installed. What's more, the would-be thief was subsequently caught, as his license information allowed police to track him down.

Check out WJR-TV News' story in the video after the jump, then vote in our poll and leave a comment to let fellow readers how if you'd be comfortable using such a system or whether you view it as a potential invasion of privacy.


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Continue reading New pump technology prevents gas theft, lets you pay after pumping [w/poll]

New pump technology prevents gas theft, lets you pay after pumping [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>credit card readerdrive offdrive offsdrive-offgas pumpgas stationgas theftmarathonpaxson oilpost-paysaginawvideoTue, 20 Dec 2011 19:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20132265/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/12/20/new-pump-technology-prevents-gas-theft-lets-you-pay-after-pumpi/20132265/article-detail.xml 20132265 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/post-pay-reader_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/post-pay-reader.jpg <![CDATA[REPORT: Thieves make off with $2 million worth of oil and gas in Texas]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/03/thieves-make-off-with-2-million-worth-of-oil-and-gas-in-texas/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/03/thieves-make-off-with-2-million-worth-of-oil-and-gas-in-texas/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/03/thieves-make-off-with-2-million-worth-of-oil-and-gas-in-texas/#comments

How many barrels of oil do you think you could steal in a month, y'know, if you were into that sort of thing? Ten people in West Texas have been arrested recently for stealing about $2 million worth of oil and gas condensate, and a local sheriff said that the thieves were able to steal 8,000 barrels of oil during a single month. That's good for a lot of trips to the grocery store.

Actually, the thieves were not stealing the fuel to use themselves. Instead, the men stole the barrels and then sold them the "oil and gas to buyers who didn't know of the theft," according to The Associated Press. What, did they say the barrels just happened to fall off the back of a truck? We'll probably learn more soon, as the men were arrested following a seven-month investigation. There's got to be some good information in upcoming court filings, right?

[Source: The Associated Press | Image: AFP/Getty]

REPORT: Thieves make off with $2 million worth of oil and gas in Texas originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gas theftGasTheftoil arrestsoil barreloil barrelsoil theftoil thievesOilArrestsOilBarrelOilBarrelsOilTheftOilThievesstealing gasStealingGastexaswest texasWestTexasFri, 03 Jul 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19085252/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/07/03/thieves-make-off-with-2-million-worth-of-oil-and-gas-in-texas/19085252/article-detail.xml 19085252 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/oil-barrels-with-vendor-peek-getty-afp-580_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/oil-barrels-with-vendor-peek-getty-afp-580.jpg <![CDATA[Thieves steal gas from U-Haul, refill with water]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/27/thieves-steal-gas-from-u-haul-refill-with-water/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/27/thieves-steal-gas-from-u-haul-refill-with-water/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/27/thieves-steal-gas-from-u-haul-refill-with-water/#commentsFiled under: ,

We've seen our fair share of gasoline thefts as of late, and it seems that more are to be expected as the price for a gallon of gas continues its upwards trajectory. The latest scam affects moving companies such as U-Haul, which is now reporting that some renters of its trucks are using up the fuel in the tank and refilling them with water. Other less ingenious criminal minds are simply resorting to the age-old tactic of siphoning gas from the delivery vehicle's tanks.

One U-Haul employee in Olympia, Washington reports that she has seen "five or six [instances of] water in fuel [tanks] last week." Because water does not readily mix with gasoline, some renters have been able to go uncaught as the deed isn't found out until the next user gets the truck. In that case, major repair bills starting around $2,000 are necessary. Let's just hope that thieves looking to score some free gas at U-Haul's expense don't begin using the drill method.

[Source: KATU.com]

Thieves steal gas from U-Haul, refill with water originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gas theftgas theftsgas thievesgasoline theftgasoline thievesGasolineTheftGasolineThievesGasTheftGasTheftsGasThievesu-hauluhaulFri, 27 Jun 2008 08:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1238047/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/06/27/thieves-steal-gas-from-u-haul-refill-with-water/1238047/article-detail.xml 1238047 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/uhaul_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/06/uhaul.jpg -1 2