Asked for $30 - got $58.77 - says it is the cashiers fault

[The Last to Know]

This happened to my CW apparently while I was on break, but it went on & on after I got off break & I observed because I didn't trust myself not to strangle this asshole - even though one co-irker thought the customer was right and then I really wanted to strangle them both.

Short background - we are one of a VERY few gas stations in Virginia that will allow a customer to pump & then pay - although a lot of people are now paying first thankfully as long as it all works out okay, which as you will see - it doesn't always.

Customer comes in - gives CW $30 for pump 9. The store is beyond busy - people absolutely everywhere & for some reason she can't get the pump to preset. If the customer had already taken the nozzle off the pump & set it in his car - that could be a reason - or it's possible there was just a communication error between that pump & her register because she said all the pump would tell her was "wrong state" and she could not preset it. As the customer is going back outside (after going to the bathroom or something) she tells him "excuse me sir - I could not get that pump to preset, please stop it at $30" - he kept his back to her so she tried again - still no response - he just went out the door - so then she started telling him over the speaker system to the pumps - NO LESS than 5 TIMES! She said "sir in the white car on pump 9" - "sir in the white BMW SUV on pump 9" - Sir, who prepaid for $30 in the white SUV on pump 9" - etc....each time telling him that the pump hadn't been preset & to stop it himself at $30. This guy ignores her EVERY single time - at this time I believe he was ignoring her deliberately - and ends up pumping $58.77 in gas. CW said she would have hit the pump stop on him, but she was just trying to check people out as fast as she could and couldn't watch his pump on the screen while having to continuously ring people up. She tried to get the attention of our shift supervisor, but he was busy helping other people & the new shift people were starting to arrive & the store was just in chaos. The customer came back in the store & she told him - you pumped $28.77 too much - I told you in here & over the intercom no less than 5 times that you had to stop the pump yourself - the guy just shrugged & said oh well that's your fault & tried to leave - she hollared at him that he couldn't just walk out & I guess with all the sudden attention he was getting from the other customers & by this time the shift supervisor also - he decided against walking out & instead decided to turn SUPER SC on the shift supervisor. Yelling & Screaming that it was my CW fault - he never heard her - etc.... the shift sup is saying "really, you didn't hear her the two times in the store & then again 5 times over the intercom & you were the one pumping the gas & you didn't even pay attention the gas you were pumping into your car - whether the pump stayed in the car or fell out on the ground - none of that huh?" SC is still hollering that it is "her fault" because he only asked for $30 and he is broke now & doesn't have any more money. (remember he is driving a newer BMW SUV with all the special trim on it & I noticed myself his two (sons?) walking around wearing name brand basket ball gear)

So what ends up happening with all this huge mess?

A. the customer realizes he is being an asshole - pays the money - apologizes & leave.
B. manager gets called - the police get called - the man pays & leaves
C. manager gets called - the police get called - the man gets arrested for refusing to pay
or
D. manager gets called - the police get called - manager tells shift sup to NOT argue with the man and just let him go & the store would take the loss of $28.77.

Any guesses?

Well, if you guessed either A, B, or C - you are WRONG - actually D ends up happening

yes, the police did eventually come after the guy was gone - they said that our store manager has one year to change his mind & try to collect from the guy & they would charge him - their position - he pumped it - he has to pay it.

What do you think?

[Food Lady]

I think that was deliberate theft. If, in fact, he hadn't heard her--just assume the impossible is possible for one minute here--his attitude should've been, "A mistake has been made, but I will be using the extra gas. How can we resolve this?" Any reasonable, honest person would try to find a way to work it out, if that meant paying later.

[The Last to Know]

That's what I think - not to mention - if he had asked for $30 and pumped $32 or even $35 that would have been one thing - but he overpumped $28.77 & didn't notice? And then the screaming & yelling that THE STORE or the employee should be held responsible & pay for HIS gas. UUgghhh - I'm still furious about this

[RavenStarr]

I wonder if he'll come back and try again. I think he was just scamming for some free gas.

[bainsidhe]

At this point, I don't think the SC should pay for gas. Why? Because the manager already called the police, but then decided to tell SC not to worry about it and the store would take a loss. From the post, it doesn't sound like SC just ran out, while manager yelled after him. Manager told SC not to worry about it. So yeah, I think the store should take a loss at this point.

Doesn't excuse the sucky behavior though. Had it been a few dollars, I could understand a mistake. But nearly double? Nope, SC was just a jerk trying to scam free gas.

[Peppergirl]

I'd be keeping an eye out for further scams now too. We all know shitty customers like that tell their shitty friends.

Your manager proved to be an easy mark and didn't back up his employees. So he's just inviting more of the same behavior from others.

Jackass.

[Legal Eagle]

It was upto the SC to pay for the extra gas upto the point where the manager said otherwise, assuming he can prove the manager said he didn't have to pay, which wouldn't be hard it would be in the police report then he doesn't have to pay.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Theft. The guy should have been arrested and charged. I am sorry for you, having a manager without a backbone.

Thank goodness, my manager would have seen that SC hauled into the paddy wagon and slapped with a theft charge.

[LillFilly]

Yeah, he should have been charged; or at least left his id or something so he could go get the money needed. How can you pump THAT MUCH extra gas and not notice? Actually, how big a tank did that car have??? Ehe, maybe he was pumping super.

[RavenStarr]

Now that I think about it, it was pointless to even call the police. I mean why would the manager call the police, then turn around and tell the guy he didn't have to pay?

[The Last to Know]

The shift sup called the police & the manager at the same time & the SC threatened to call 911 - I would have LOVED to see that, but he didn't do it. As for my manager - if he had been in the store he wouldn't have caved because I have seen him go nose to nose with an SC, but he wasn't in the store, his step-daughter had just had a heart transplant & he has been at the hospital every day and he is stressed, plus I think he knew the "big bosses" would have caved anyway. At this point I think it will just be forgotten - the store will take the loss & the SC will go about trying to do this again.
We were all told though if we see this guy again & his car - to not turn the pump on at all for him.

[Gibbo]

There's no doubt in my mind that he knew what he was doing. We would call the police if anyone tried that with us.

[joe hx]

I say the $28.77 should come out of the manager's paycheck.

[simplyanother]

I don't know, if I go in and ask for 30 dollars on pump whatever, and I set the thingy to pump til it's done (you know thingy on the handle? I suck at describing things)...I would assume it'd stop at 30 dollars, and not 58.77. And If I asked for 30 dollars, it's because I only have 30 dollars to spend.

Someone on another forum I visit had this happen to them awhile back, she HAD the difference and went ahead and paid it, but she did wonder what would have happened had she not had the difference.

Yes, it's very possible that the guy was running a scam, but it's equally possible that he really only had 30 dollars to spend on the gas, and that's why he waited and stood his ground. The cashier should have made sure that the pump was set to cut off at 30 dollars and yes, he should have made sure that also. The extra 30 dollars worth of gas does tip it in the "knew what he was doing" column, but I'm just saying, it happens.

I frequent two gas stations, one of which has had the uh...handle lock thingy (so you don't have to continually squeeze the lever thing)..."disabled" (the metal parts that it'd catch on are ...uh, sanded down?) since about the time that gas was 5 dollars a gallon AND their pumps are really really slow. I drive a small car, with a 12 gallon tank, I'm usually never getting more than 9 gallons at a time and it takes forever at that station for me to fill my tank.

The other station has recently had something happen to the "bump" or whatever the hell it's called --because you can't lock the handle on that one either. But it's much much faster.

I only ever prepay if I have cash (or if I know that it will decline my card because of low funds). Granted, 20-25 dollars is enough to fill up my car, but if I went in and asked for 10 dollars on pump for, and set the lock and then when it stopped noticed that twice as much gas had pumped, I don't know wtf I'd do, because I certainly wouldn't have the difference. I'd be in tears, that's for certain.

So, yeah, both the cashiers and the customers fault.

[mattm04]

After the multiple warning he got to stop at $30, it was deliberate IMHO. Going over to say, $32 or so i can see, but $28 no way that could be a misstate.

Like the OP said the pump would not authorize only $30 if the nozzle was removed. Is their video of the pumps hat could show if he did. I bet he has done similar scams before and will continue to do so as long as spineless managers let him.