With gas prices soaring, local convenience stores are reporting increased occurrences of gas drive-offs.

Ames Police Department Sgt. Brian Braymen said drive-offs fluctuate with gas prices.

“The higher the price, the more gas drive-offs get reported,” Braymen said. “It fluctuates with the price, and we’ve had quite a few over the last few years with prices increasing.”

Liz Pieper, assistant manager for Kum & Go, 2801 East 13th St., said drive-offs are a significant problem.

“We see anywhere from five to 10 a week, but it varies with price,” she said.

Pieper said one security measure they employ is having the cashiers authorize the pumps themselves, instead of having automatic authorization.

Brad Hurd, manager for Kwik Shop, 2700 Lincoln Way, said he’s very pleased and surprised they haven’t been hit hard with drive-offs.

“About the only thing we have to put up with is college kids forgetting their wallets at home. We have to record that as a drive-off to clear it, but they come back and pay in like 10 minutes or so,” Hurd said.

Braymen said some drive-offs are prosecuted, but the rate isn’t very high. If the driver is caught, they would be charged with fourth or fifth degree theft depending on the amount of gas stolen, he said. Fourth degree theft is a serious misdemeanor, while fifth is a simple misdemeanor.

Another measure taken to prevent drive-offs is House File 440, signed into law by Gov. Vilsack on June 4. It came into effect July 1, and allows authorities to take away a person’s driver’s license for 30 days if they have been convicted of two or more gas thefts.

“It’s not that big of problem in Ames compared to other cities,” Braymen said. “States with large populations, like coastal areas, have gone to prepay to help prevent it.”

He added that gas stations in Des Moines have implemented identification cards for drivers wishing to purchase gas.

“At those stations, if you aren’t going to pay with a credit card, then drivers have to put an identification card in the slot to allow it to pump,” Braymen said. “We’ll eventually see something like that here unless gas prices go down.”