Getting Free Gas And Not Even Knowing It.lol!

[Hellion]

From The Daily Tribune

The full story

PUBLISHED: Wednesday, October 10, 2007

High-tech thieves steal 3,000 gallons of gasoline

Credit card system foiled to allow free fillups.

By John Michalak

Daily Tribune Staff Writer

HAZEL PARK -- Thieves apparently discovered a way to override the credit card system at a gas station where the owner reported 3,000 gallons stolen recently.

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"Evidently the credit card information is transmitted via a satellite dish on the roof," Hazel Park Detective Lt. Michael Kolp said. "Apparently they figured a way to override it."

Edward Weglarz, vice president of Petroleum of the Associated Food and Petroleum Dealers in Michigan and Ohio, said he hadn't heard of such a scam. Weglarz said his 4,000 locations generally report scams to alert other dealers. There have been other credit card scams, he added, including one where sleeves are put into card receptacles and information is captured from the card's magnetic tape.

"But we haven't heard of this one," Weglarz said. "Generally, information about such scams travels to us fast. It sounds like someone has figured out how to circumvent the system."

The investigation of the reported theft at BP Gas, 24524 John R, Hazel Park, is in the preliminary stage.

"We need to find how they accomplished this," said Kolp, who suspects some people knew they were stealing gasoline while others possibly didn't. It is possible people believed they were paying by credit card not realizing gas sales weren't charged to their accounts, Kolp said.

"That's a lot of cars," said Kolp of the number needed to get 3,000 gallons. "Even if based on an average fill-up being 20 gallons, that's about 150 vehicles."

The gas station owner couldn't be reached for comment.

However, police reports indicate he estimated the loss at approximately $10,000.

The owner told police an employee didn't get suspicious because he thought there were lots of credit card purchases. There was a constant flow of vehicles, the owner told police.

The owner reported the gas thefts on Friday, indicating they occurred on Sept. 27, reports said.

"We believe it affected all the pumps," said Kolp of the system override. "There is a satellite dish for all of them."

Kolp said investigators don't have any suspects.

"But we will review whatever video (security tapes) are available," Kolp said. "Those knowingly stealing at the pumps will be just as culpable."

Kolp said a similar scam also had been reported by another unnamed gas station in the Detroit area.

"Three thousand gallons is a big hit," Kolp said. "If they have figured out how to override the system, someone better fix that in a hurry."

Contact John Michalak at john.michalak@dailytribune.com or (248) 591-2521.

IMO who ever did this knew their tech very well.

mayby this will happen in my side of town,

it would be nice to know how this was done.Fuck BP.

[Destroit]

Hazel Park...? I think know those guys Naw j/k, my friends are lazy bastards, they couldn't figure out nothing like that.

[ttogreh]

The person that overrode the system may very well have gotten away with this. However, do not think that this is a victimless crime.

BP HAS to recoup its losses. But yes, FUCK BP, polluting the great lakes is just not cool.

[Winter Steele]

Whoever did this was very smart. The gas stations including BP have to make a living. The price is set by oil companys they are the evil ones!

[Kit Kat P]

BP has no losses to recoup. They sold the gas to the station franchise owner. Subsequently the owner is the one who has to recoup his losses w/o losing his current customers.