On Aug. 25, Valley Center police responded to a gas drive-off at Casey’s General Store in the 200 block of South Meridian.
An older-style, red, two-door vehicle driven by a white male with long hair pumped $26 worth of fuel and left without paying.
Officers searched the area, couldn’t find the suspect and returned to the gas station to get information for a theft report.
It’s a familiar scenario, which rarely has a successful conclusion for either law enforcement or the gas station.
That’s why the city and the police department are proposing an ordinance that would make Valley Center a preapproval or prepay gasoline town.
“It takes 40 minutes, typically, from when the call comes out to taking a report,” Chief Lloyd Newman said. “… That’s part of our job, and we’ll do it. But there is a way to prevent it from happening.”
(Read more: Ark Valley News)