Most people have seen the sign posted on gas pumps that reads "No Pay! No License!"
It's Sponsored by the Kentucky Petroleum Marketers Association, and aims to discourage drivers from stealing gasoline, according to Lt. Phil Crumpton of the Kentucky State Police.
The long-term impact of the sign, which has been around for several years, has yet to unfold " drivers are still leaving service stations without paying for the gas they pump.
But a check of local police records this year compared to a similar period a year ago reveals the thefts are down " slightly.
From January to April 2007, the Frankfort area reported 30 drive-offs " drivers leaving without paying, according to police statistics. During the same period in 2008 there were 28 reported gas thefts.
Frankfort Police Major Fred Deaton said gas theft is known as a Class-A misdemeanor because it's of $300 or less. Penalties can include a $500 fine and up to 12 months in jail, he said.
Nevertheless, with gas prices at the highest of highs, gas stations are particularly watchful of theft. The USA National Gas Temperature Map has Franklin County gas ranging from $3.53 a gallon to $3.65 a gallon, currently.
Managers and employees say they're aware some thieves will inevitably get away, but they are taking steps to discourage customers from pumping without paying.
"If someone is not paying with a credit card at the pump, we try to identify them by car and color," Louisville Road Speedway co-manager in training Belinda Perkins said. "We remind them to pay inside when they're finished and let them know we can see them."
Police shop at the station frequently, but Perkins says their presence doesn't always matter.
"People have driven off with gas with officers in the store," she said. "Some people just think they can get away with it."
But Perkins also said it's not difficult to track vehicles if motorists drive off without paying for gas.
Deaton agreed. He said once a police report is filed by the gas station, officers respond to vehicle descriptions and license plate numbers in a timely fashion.
Crumpton added that once a person is apprehended, it's up to the Administrative Office of the Courts and the judge to decide the punishment. According to Kentucky statutes, a person can lose his or her license for stealing gas.
Deaton, however, said it just depends on the prosecution.
Crumpton agreed, saying police respond to drive-off reports, but other than that, it's out of their hands.
And unfortunately, some thieves still get away. Perkins conceded that people are watching and planning their crimes.
Other gas stations echoed her dismay.
"They try to catch us when we are really busy," Devil's Hallow BP manager Barbara Thompson said. "They take advantage of it so we just have to watch the pumps closely. I make sure that someone is watching at all times."
And with gas prices continuing to rise, some gas station employees predict that it will only get worse.
"There seems to be a lot of change being used to buy a gallon or two of gas to get from point A to point B," Wilkinson Boulevard Shell employee Richard Kincaid said. "It has a strong impact on people economically. There is a great possibility that there will be more thefts because gas is so expensive."
Perkins pointed to the fact that on some days the price of gas can rise more than 22 cents. But she said there is nothing gas station employees can do about it.
"It can be drastic," Perkins said. "But we don't control it."
And with the cost of gas, station managers say they're making sure employees are aware of the possibility of theft.
"I tell all of my employees to keep a very close watch on the pumps," Thompson said. "It's affecting customers, employees, everybody."