Since fuel prices began skyrocketing, several cases have been reported of motorists filling their vehicles’ tanks at gas stations, and then driving away without paying.
Authorities must move quickly to show that such acts will not be tolerated, even during a national energy emergency, and that perpetrators will be caught and punished. Otherwise, such swindling could become a bad habit, and could even spread to other commodities.
The first so-called “gas-and-run” case occurred on March 22. A 27-year-old transport network vehicle service driver filled his silver Toyota Innova with P5,000 worth of diesel at a gas station along EDSA in Apolonio Samson, Quezon City, and then drove away without paying.
Upon learning that he was being hunted down by police based on surveillance video footage, the driver – a resident of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan – surrendered to the QC police on March 30, claiming that he had panicked.
On April 20, the driver of a white Toyota Vios gassed up at a station along Payatas Road in Bagong Silangan, Quezon City at 3:10 a.m., and then drove away without paying P1,500 worth of fuel.
The Vios was found abandoned in San Mateo, Rizal with an empty fuel tank. Two suspects were pursued by police and caught in Rodriguez, Rizal.
On May 3, the driver of a Toyota Vios gassed up at 3:16 a.m. at a station along Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City, and then drove away after getting P1,500 worth of fuel. Police traced the driver’s home but failed to find him there. The 39-year-old driver surrendered three days later, claiming he thought he had already paid with his debit card. This was denied by the gas attendant.
Would these motorists, who are facing charges of estafa, have surrendered if their acts had not been documented on surveillance video?
The fuel crisis is affecting all sectors. Considering the types of vehicles being driven by the perpetrators in the three cases, they don’t even belong to the most vulnerable income group. The second incident in fact looked like plain mischief.
Whether the “gas-and-run” cases were merely pranks or sprung from need, there is no excuse for swindling.