Tea Time
07-14-2008, 01:16 AM
This is an interesting story. Apparently this has happened several times in the Dallas/Fort Worth area recently. The electronic, remote-controlled devices can remove security codes and take the gas pumps off-line - allowing the thieves to pump as much gas as they want without making payment. I can only imagine incidents like this becoming more common with the rapidly increasing price of gas.
Dallas Morning News - Gas Thieves Drive Off With 350 Gallons Of Gas In Dallas (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/071208dnmetgastheft.45b8908f.html)
Thieves Drive Off With 350 Gallons Of Gas In Dallas
01:58 PM CDT Friday, July 11, 2008
By: BRIAN WHITLEY / The Dallas Morning News
bwhitley@dallasnews.com
Dallas, Texas - Dallas police are investigating the high-tech theft of at least $1,200 in gasoline from a Shell station in the White Rock area.
After the station closed, someone activated a gas pump about 12:30 a.m. Thursday using an electronic device, police said. Then a parade of 15 cars pumped gas one after another until about 350 gallons had been taken.
The organized scheme took about 45 minutes, said Darren Backus, who owns the station in the 10100 block of East Northwest Highway. He speculated that whoever used the device quickly called friends and offered to let them use the pump for a fee.
"We know it was organized because they were in and out of here," he said.
Mr. Backus said the person who hatched the plan waited until the station lights turned off for the night before pointing a remote at the pump and removing it from the station's security loop.
The thief was probably someone within the fuel industry, said Mr. Backus, who knew about the devices before the theft. He said the remotes originate with pump manufacturers and are used for routine programming purposes, like allowing attendants to freely pump fuel at full-service stations.
"The manufacturer ought to have had them under lock and key," Mr. Backus said. "Obviously, they did not."
Mr. Backus said police are analyzing surveillance videos taken at the station.
He said police advised him that the only way to prevent similar thefts from occurring is to turn off the power at the station after hours, which he plans on trying.
HERE (http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa080712_wz_gastheft.4c181dcb.html) is a link to another news story regarding this incident.
Dallas Morning News - Gas Thieves Drive Off With 350 Gallons Of Gas In Dallas (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/071208dnmetgastheft.45b8908f.html)
Thieves Drive Off With 350 Gallons Of Gas In Dallas
01:58 PM CDT Friday, July 11, 2008
By: BRIAN WHITLEY / The Dallas Morning News
bwhitley@dallasnews.com
Dallas, Texas - Dallas police are investigating the high-tech theft of at least $1,200 in gasoline from a Shell station in the White Rock area.
After the station closed, someone activated a gas pump about 12:30 a.m. Thursday using an electronic device, police said. Then a parade of 15 cars pumped gas one after another until about 350 gallons had been taken.
The organized scheme took about 45 minutes, said Darren Backus, who owns the station in the 10100 block of East Northwest Highway. He speculated that whoever used the device quickly called friends and offered to let them use the pump for a fee.
"We know it was organized because they were in and out of here," he said.
Mr. Backus said the person who hatched the plan waited until the station lights turned off for the night before pointing a remote at the pump and removing it from the station's security loop.
The thief was probably someone within the fuel industry, said Mr. Backus, who knew about the devices before the theft. He said the remotes originate with pump manufacturers and are used for routine programming purposes, like allowing attendants to freely pump fuel at full-service stations.
"The manufacturer ought to have had them under lock and key," Mr. Backus said. "Obviously, they did not."
Mr. Backus said police are analyzing surveillance videos taken at the station.
He said police advised him that the only way to prevent similar thefts from occurring is to turn off the power at the station after hours, which he plans on trying.
HERE (http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa080712_wz_gastheft.4c181dcb.html) is a link to another news story regarding this incident.