As Americans grapple with high gas prices, nearly 400 gallons of gasoline were stolen from a gas station in North Carolina on Monday.
The theft occurred on Monday evening in High Point, North Carolina, after the Bizzy Bee grocery store and BP gas station closed.
WXII 12 reported that owner Hardik Patel said the store did not turn off the fuel pumps after closing for the evening. Patel noted that about 398 gallons were stolen. He told Fox 8 WGHP that the pumps will now be turned off at night so he doesn’t “go through this again.”
Reports indicate that the payment system was bypassed by allowing the gas to flow. CCTV footage showed that someone appeared to be using the device to bypass the payment system, Patel said, according to CNN, several cars arrived and stole fuel.
“It wasn’t free, they were stealing,” Patel told CNN.
Drivers have been feeling the pain of refueling as gasoline prices, already high, have risen even higher recently. As of Thursday, the national average AAA per gallon of regular gasoline is $4,289.
Last week, President Joe Biden issued an executive order barring crude oil and other products from Russia from entering the US.
A Trafalgar Group poll of likely general election voters earlier this month found a whopping 77.3% thought that after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Biden should prioritize boosting US energy production.
If high gas prices persist, they could prove to be a major problem for Democrats heading into the 2022 midterm elections later this year. High gasoline prices not only harm drivers, they can also lead to higher prices for various goods, as rising fuel prices increase the cost of transporting items.
Our new @trafalgar_group/@COSProject poll (3/7-11) shows that over 3/4 of Americans think #Biden should make domestic energy production a priority: \n\n77.3% Yes\n9.3% No\ n13 0.5% Unsure\n\nBipartisanship:\n\n67% #Democratic Party\n88.6% #Republican Party\n77.6% #India\n\nSee report: https://www.thetrafalgargroup.org/news/nat-issues-us-energy-0313/\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/UCv0sCRFSn
— Trafalgar Group (@Trafalgar Group)
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