The price of fuel has been so expensive in Metro Vancouver this summer that it makes sense to get the most out of every drop.
But what do you do when your tank is empty even though you just went to a gas station and paid a hefty price for gas?
You do what most people would do — you panic.
That's what happened to a Port Coquitlam woman last week when she paid $75 on her credit card at a local gas station and then drove away.
Cassandra Aiken, who drives a Jeep, told the Tri-City News it was a few minutes before she recognized her "mistake," and by the time she got through to the gas station, she was told the gas she paid for was gone.
"I felt panicked because I was stuck on Shaughessy [Street] going in the other direction and in rush hour traffic," Aiken told the Tri-City News.
Security footage identifies the 'culprit'
Aiken, who reported the incident on social media, said she was disappointed, but immediately took action.
"I realized it a few minutes later and came back but someone had already taken my gas. It was disappointing, and the gas station attendant couldn’t do anything but advised I should dispute the credit card charges. I needed a police file number in order to do this, so I called the non-emergency line to file a report."
However, Coquitlam RCMP didn't simply pass on a number and in fact, an investigating officer showed up to deal with the confusing situation.
"To my surprise, I got a call today from an RCMP officer telling me that he watched the surveillance from the gas station and tracked down the “culprit," Aiken said in her post.
"It turns out that this was a mistake, and the person actually attempted to pay with their credit card but was not actually charged for the gas which I had already paid for."
Aiken confirmed that the person who took the gas e-transferred her the $75.
"Very impressed" after gas charges reimbursed
"I'm very impressed" she wrote in her post.
Indeed, an officer did take some initiative to solve the missing gas station, and resolved the problem for both the gas station and Aiken.
"This is definitely a good news story, and one that caused a bit of confusion amongst clients at the gas station," said Coquitlam RCMP spokesperson Const. Deanna Law.
"The investigating member reviewed video surveillance and contacted the individual that had used the prepaid gas, explained the situation and that individual reimbursed the individual that had driven off before fuelling up."
Why do we pre-pay for gas in B.C.?
While some might view pre-paying for gas as a bit of a hassle, it was a law introduced in 2008 in response to a devastating tragedy that occurred in 2005.
Often called Grant's Law, B.C. was one of the first jurisdictions to require payment before pumping, to eliminate the hazard of gas and dash incidents.
It also required employers to have better safety protocols for all late-night retail workers. such as those who work at gas stations and convenience stores.
Grant De Patie was working alone at a Maple Ridge gas station in 2005 when he was dragged and killed while trying to prevent a robbery involving $12 worth of gas.
How your CCTV footage can help solve crimes
CCTV footage is increasingly becoming a key tool in the arsenal of police crime-fighting tools.
And in Port Coquitlam, the city is trying to be pro-active by establishing a registry of CCTV cameras.
If you want to add yours to the list, register your CCTV camera online here.
