No thief, just a forgetful driver, police say

By Kate Richards

December 13, 2004 | LOGAN -- Reported gas theft from the 7-11 on 1400 North and Main Street turned out to be an honest mistake Thursday.

Logan City Police Officer Rob Olson responded to a call from the gas station at about 1:30 p.m. reporting the driver of a blue Jeep Cherokee had driven off without paying her $5 gas bill. There was a five minute delay between the time the vehicle left the parking lot and the time the police were called.

Olson said some people who knew the driver were pumping gas at the 7-11 when he arrived and they gave him information about the vehicle that allowed him to find her.

"I've made contact with the people and they went back and paid," he said.

He said the driver was a teenage girl who had simply forgotten to pay for the gas and her father went back to the station and paid the $5 about half an hour later. Olson said the majority of the time he responds to reports gasoline theft, it turns out to be an honest mistake. Sometimes people put their credit card in to the machine and it doesn't work, but they don't realize it, he said.

In most cases, gas station attendants write down enough information about the vehicle to enable police officers to find it.

NW MK