Public Humilation

[Spider]

And it works .............Don Bentz is a good man , a bit pricey but a good man , i like what he did here .......
http://www.casperstartribune.net/art...dd00021e77.txt
Misguided anger'

By BARBARA NORDBY and CORY MATTESON
Star-Tribune staff writers Saturday, September 02, 2006

Cory Maves walks up and down the sidewalk in front of Bentz's Town Pump after agreeing to wear a sing apologizing for attempting to leave without paying after gassing up on Thursday in Casper. Town Pump owner Don Bentz gives 'drive offs' the chance to either wear the sign for two hours or face prosecution for stealing gas. Photo by Dan Cepeda.

Cory Maves blamed his friend.

They were filling up with gas at Bentz's Town Pump in Casper on Thursday when the friend got behind the wheel and took off -- before he paid for the gas.

Don Bentz didn't buy that story. He thinks the young men planned the heist -- $44.13 worth of gas, or about 14 gallons of premium for the sports car they were driving.

But they agree on what happened next.


Maves tried to walk off, and Bentz chased him down.

"He was actually threatening to kick my butt," Maves said.

"I told him if he ran, I was gonna kick his butt," Bentz said.

Bentz called the police and then gave him a choice. He wouldn't press charges if the young men would each take a turn "walking the line."

They had to walk for two hours each, back and forth in front of the Collins Street station, wearing a sandwich board proclaiming their guilt.

For Maves it was an easy choice. He said he has a clean criminal record and wants to keep it that way.

"As dumb as it looks," he said, looking at the sign around his neck,"I'd rather do this."

Cars honked at Maves, who wore a chest-length placard rife with exclamation points and underlined, italicized words. It read, "I {M3INTENTIONALLY DROVE OFF {M3WITHOUT PAYING{M3 FOR THE FUEL PUT IN MY VEHICLE. {M3THIS IS HOW I AM {M3APOLOGIZING FOR MY ACTIONS."

Jeff Lenard, spokesperson for the National Association of Convenience Stores, said he'd heard of several other instances where public humiliation was employed to deter an estimated $300 million problem.

Lenard, based in Alexandria, Va., wondered if some of the people who honk at placard-wearers are doing so as a show of support. There's a misconception, he said, that everyone involved in selling gas is reaping profits from the inflated cost of a gallon.

"It's not a Robin Hood crime," he said.

In reality, he said, a $50 drive-off could cost a convenience store its profits on gasoline for the day. That's based on a typical markup of 15 cents per gallon from the price convenience stores pay for gasoline, Lenard said. Factor in an estimated 8-cent charge per gallon to the store if the customer uses a credit card, and convenience stores nationwide end up losing money at the pump due to the increase in gas theft.

Lenard said the average convenience store lost $2,678 in 2005 -- a conservative figure, he said, as it's based on all stores that sell gas, including ones in metro areas and California where prepaid pumping is required. The number also factors in stores in New Jersey and Oregon, where full service is mandatory.

Rough math suggests that Wyoming's 329 convenience stores then lost $881,062 in gas thefts, though some local stores have reported losing four-figure amounts in the span of a month.

Reports from Casper police suggests that the crime is occurring more often.

"They're pretty regular," Sgt. Brad Wnuk said. "There has been a noticeable increase in them, I can tell you that."

Gas theft in Wyoming is a misdemeanor larceny, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $750 or both.

Lenard said gas theft rose greatly in the first eight months of 2005, right along with the prices. It's a correlation he said that goes beyond whether a gallon cost $1 or $2 or $3. If gasoline cost a nickel a gallon and went up a dime, you'd see consumers direct "misguided anger" towards the pump owners again, he said.

Over the last six or seven months, Wnuk said reports from convenience stores have become part of the daily routine.

"Two to five a day is not unusual," he said. He said he's spoken with several owners of convenience store owners more prone to theft, and suggested some precautions, such as prepay-only pumps that could possibly deter thieves.

Some owners, including Bentz, still don't have credit card machines at the pump and only accept cash inside -- which can leave him more vulnerable to gas theft.

Bentz has given people the choice before -- to do the time or wear the sign. He's a gas vigilante who believes in second chances. But some would rather go to court.

"I'm pretty sure he's the only one in town that would give me a second chance," Maves said.

After Maves had been walking about half an hour, Bentz was impressed. He came outside to offer the young man a cold can of Mountain Dew Code Red.

Bentz looked at him with a proud smile and said, "He's restoring his integrity, that's what he's doing."