PALESTINE, Texas — As if tight fuel margins and high credit card fees weren’t enough to worry about, retailers in Palestine, Texas, are being targeted by gasoline thieves who are using “a new twist on an old scam,” writes The Palestine Herald.

According to local police, three area retailers have so far reported drive-offs with stolen credit cards. In at least one case, a man in a large pickup truck came into the store and brought several items to the cashier for purchase. Before the cashier could ring up the sale, the man said that he had forgotten to pump his gasoline, leaving a credit card as “collateral” with the cashier while he returned to the pump. Then, the thief drove off after filling up, leaving behind the stolen card.

“They’re hitting all the convenience stores,” said Sgt. Larry Boyer. “They need to be aware that this is going on.” Most customers who pay with a credit or debit card either prepay or come into the store to pay after they’ve pumped their gasoline, he noted.