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You Are Not Going To Believe This One.......

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Sellstate Advantage Realty

If it is already not bad enough that we are now paying over $4.oo a gallon for gas, we now have something else to worry about! I just got a call from a friend of mine and he wanted to warn me about the latest crime wave sweeping our country!

It seems that some people are now so fed up with the price of gas that they won't take it anymore! Apparently they are very good at filling there cars up and then driving off without paying! Well, when I heard this I told him that in our area all of the stations have video surveilance cameras that will catch their license number! So it won't last long and they will start arresting the culprits!

It seems the culprits have thought long and hard about this one because when they fill up their cars the license plate on the car is not theirs! Yes that is right, they are stealing license plates, putting them on their cars and filling up and driving off! When they look at the video and check the registration the police are showing up at the unsuspecting victims house!

Now before you get in your car I guess it would be wise to start looking at your plate or your trip with a buyer may be delayed when you get pulled over by thye local police for no plate and then the nice officer says that there is a warrant for your arrest for stealing gas!! How embarassing!!!

What next!!!

Mike Kelly, Broker/Owner, Sellstate Advantage Realty, Cape Coral, Florida 239-549-9200

Comments (14)

Jon Lu
Coldwell Banker Platinum Group - San Jose, CA

Mike, you bring up a very serious issue.  Crime is definitely an issue that should concern real estate agents, especially those of us who go prospecting on a regular basis, or those of us who hold a lot of open houses.  It may be just be a rise in gas theft right now.  Violent crimes are sure to follow if this trend continues. 

Jun 09, 2008 01:07 PM
Debi Ernst
St. Charles County, Missouri - Prudential Alliance Realtors - O'Fallon, MO
GRI, e-PRO, Broker/Sales Associate

I haven't heard about that one.  I'll have to keep an eye on my license plate...  Thanks for the warning!

Jun 09, 2008 01:10 PM
Patrick Lambert
ALLY Real Estate - Waikoloa, HI
Hawaii Real Estate Expert

With the fall of the ecomony comes a rise in crime. As people become more desparate and are forced to choose between gas or food for their family or can't afford gas to get to work and so on. It will continue to rise until things start to get better ... and things are not geting better anytime soon.

Jun 09, 2008 01:12 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

I'd not heard that one either but I'm not surprised.  I figure there will be a lot of siphoned gas also.  I'm glad I have a garage enclosed.

Jun 09, 2008 01:28 PM
Sean Allen
International Financing Solutions - Fort Myers, FL
International Financing Solutions

hhhhmmm, Well I guess if you see that someone stole your plate, then you should return the favor and take someone elses plate and then go get some gas.

Sean Allen

Jun 09, 2008 01:30 PM
Bart Whitmore
Keller Williams- Louisville - Louisville, KY
Real Estate Agent

With the rise in prices people are stealing gas from peoples car, they have been using an ice pick or a knife and punching holes in the gas tank and filling up cans.

Jun 09, 2008 01:36 PM
Linda Greco Rich, ABR, SRES
Exit Preferred Realty - Bel Air, MD
Harford County Specialist

That is crazy! I'm glad I have a garage.

Jun 09, 2008 01:45 PM
Kenneth Cole
Weichert Realtors Appleseed Group, 2043 Richmond Ave. S.I.N.Y. 10314. office phone 718-698-9797, Appleseedhomes.com... - Staten Island, NY
NYS Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Sean Allen, shame on you.  I hope you are just kidding.

Jun 09, 2008 01:55 PM
Kara Casamassina
International Property Management Group, LLC - Aiken, SC
Boomers and beyond

Most of the gas stations here are 'pre-pay'.

Jun 09, 2008 02:08 PM
This Account No Longer Exists
Inactive Account - Woodstock, VA

I'm not suprised.....they say that gas prices will increase over the summer, I look foward to filling  up the gas tank in my boat (300 gallons ) at the marina. NOT

Jun 09, 2008 02:19 PM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Wow!  I've heard of people who have reflective glass on their license plate holders so the speed and red light cameras can't get their picture, but this is a new one! 

Jun 09, 2008 02:48 PM
Cheryl Powell - The Powell Team
Southern Homes of The Carolinas - The Powell Team - Harrisburg, NC
Concord,Harrisburg & Charlotte NC Area Real Estate

Hi Mike, My mom told me about this one.  What will people come up with next?

Jun 09, 2008 04:18 PM
Susan Peters
Dove Realty Inc. - Seattle, WA
The Better it Looks the Better it Sells

Mike,

Wow! What will they think of next? Maybe we need to wrap our license plates in barbed wire.

Jun 09, 2008 04:35 PM
Steve Shatsky
Dallas, TX

Just when you think that things in society could not get more far fetched or extreme you hear about something like this.  It's a sad sad commentary on the state of society.  Interestingly, I rarely here about things like this in other countries.

Jun 09, 2008 04:35 PM