Gas prepay

A new prepay at the pump policy for fuel was implemented Wednesday by Cape Girardeau gas stations. The change was made at the request of the city's police department and is an effort to prevent drive-offs and the corresponding time police spend following up on nonpaying customers.

Many drivers already pay at the pump with a credit card. For these customers, this change will not affect the payment delivery. But for those who pay with cash, payment must now be made inside before fueling.

Darin Hickey, public information officer for the city's police department, recently explained to the Southeast Missourian the lengthy process for tracking nonpaying customers.

"When a gas station believes that someone has driven off without paying for gas, they call the police department, and the officer at the front desk ... takes an initial report," Hickey said in an April 21 story. "If it has just occurred, a dispatch is given over the radio for officers on the street to attempt to locate that vehicle. That report is then forwarded to one officer for investigation. That officer spends 80 to 85 percent of his time just investigating gas drive-offs."

In the last seven months, the department has investigated 306 gas drive-offs.

While this may be an inconvenience for some, we generally support the change. Police need to spend their time on other issues of public safety. This effort should save them time and serve as a more efficient system in preventing fuel theft.