Rising Gas Prices Lead to New Levels of Crime

Bob has been following the rising gas prices here and around the country (along with everyone else). It is amazing how that amber liquid affects all of us and in so many ways. It is not just what we pay at the pump, but it is what we pay for most everything.

As the price of gas rises, so does the price of consumer goods. As the price of gas rises, we have to think more and more carefully about where we are going and why. As a rural resident, I am having to make choices about whether my children will be able to play soccer and take gymnastics due to the amount of driving involved. And as we all clamp down on what we are doing, this of course affects employment numbers, the amount of people on sports teams, and the amount of visiting we can do.

Unfortunately, the rise in gas prices also affects the level of crime. There are more drive-offs at the pump as people fill up and then drive away without paying. Everyone loses here. In the state of Virginia, you can lose your license for driving away without paying. The gas station owner only makes about 1 penny of profit on each gallon of gas...1 penny!!!! So when a person drives off, they are hurting the gas station owner who has to pay for that gas for them. In Alabama, this led to further severe consequences when the gas station owner tried to stop someone from driving off with 52.00 of unpaid for gasoline. The owner lost his life.

There are no easy answers in dificult times like these, but we need to remember our humanity, stick together and help one another as much as we can.