High Gas Prices Fuel New Crimes

As many Americans try to cope with the reality of gasoline remaining at over $4 a gallon, more and more persons opt for public transportation. At the same time, crime at or near public transportation sites is on the increase as criminals seek out new victims. Assaults, shootings, fights, stabbings, robbery and other violence is now becoming more common both at bus stops and even on public transportation itself.

Robberies of gas staions are becoming more common, as are new forms of gasoline theft. In a small Oregon town, there was even a recent case of a home invasion robbery where an elderly man was forced at gunpoint to give some gas in a cans in his garage to his attackers. Gasoline was the item that was stolen by the thieves. No money or other valuables were targeted. 300 gallons of gas owned by the City Of Portland at a golf course were stolen this week in a daring burglary by thieves.

The MAD MAX science fiction movie series dealt with a futuristic society in which gasoline was such a valuable commodity that it helped to spur violent gangs and other violence. While American society hasn't slipped anywhere this far into violence and mayhem so far, the fact of the matter is that the high gasoline prices are starting to spur some serious crimes and violence that is only expected to worsen as prices rise.

A paraphrase of a famous quote by a criminal of why he robbed banks was because, "That's where the money is". Now, today it might be said that crime is following the fuel price crisis because of the high prices that have made it a valuable commodity, which is something that would have been unthinkable back in the 1960's and early 70's with cheap 33cents a gallon gas.