Thieves stole nearly 400 gallons of fuel from a North Carolina gas station this week, as U.S. gas prices hit a record high, according to a new report.
The owner of Bizzy Bee Grocery Store and Gas Station in High Point told CNN a suspect used a special device to bypass the payment system after business hours, allowing more than 15 cars to fill their tanks for free.
The drivers stole $1,600 worth of gas in about 45 minutes, owner Hardik Patel told CNN.
Police were alerted to the theft by bystanders who noticed the unusual number of cars at the closed gas station.
“I’ve been in business for 15 years and owned other gas stations. I have never seen something like this,” Patel told the outlet. “It wasn’t free, they were stealing.”
The High Point Police Department is investigating the incident, though no arrests have been made yet, CNN reported.
Patel said he now plans to shut off his pumps when the station closes for the night to prevent future theft.
The U.S. national average for regular gas hit $4.325 a gallon on Monday, nearly one week after it surged past the previous record of $4.114 set in July 2008, according to AAA. The average was $4.289 a gallon on Thursday.
Meanwhile, police in Atlanta, Ga., arrested a man earlier this month who was allegedly puncturing gas tanks and stealing gasoline.
“During these crimes, the suspect involved appeared to have used a tool to drill a hole into the gas tanks of the victims’ vehicles resulting in hundreds or thousands of dollars of extra costs to the victim for gas tank repairs,” the department said.
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