x
Breaking News
More () »

'Anything that was plastic, they were filling up': Couple caught on camera hoarding gas in St. Charles

"I saw a milk jug, a juice jug, water bottles, several big gray totes and they placed them all in their cars," said Trudy Pagano.

ST CHARLES, Mo. — Trudy Pagano said she went to Sam's Club in St. Charles Wednesday night and saw something that immediately caught her eye.

"Anything that was plastic, they were filling up," said Pagano.

Pagano said there was a guy in a black Charger and a woman in a blue SUV at a pump behind her. They first filled up their cars and a gas container.

Moments later, out of the blue:

"I would say there were probably eight containers and all were plastic," said Pagano.

She said the pair topped off all kinds of plastic containers.

"I saw a milk jug, a juice jug, water bottles, several big gray totes and they placed them all in their cars. They looked like they knew it was wrong, but they just didn't care," added the driver.

Trudy whipped out her cell phone and caught the couple in the act. This was at Sam's Club on the 2800 block of Veteran's Memorial Parkway.

"I was like aren't you worried about that spilling over in your car or afraid of having an accident or something? The woman said not at all. We're just gonna fill up," Pagano said.

GAS PRICES: Tap here for the cheapest gas prices in the St. Louis area

"It's just that is so risky. They're gonna get in their cars and that gas is gonna start leaking everywhere. That's just asking for problems," said driver Jayson Grover.

St. Charles police agree.

Their spokesman said at no point should anyone put a highly-flammable liquid into containers not designed to contain it.

Moreover, while police say they cannot arrest so-called "gas hoarders," they can stress such acts are dangerous and potentially deadly.

Trudy Pagano said in her video she also saw a Sam's Club employee "standing there and watching the couple fill up the containers. I'm not sure what he was saying to them."

In a statement, a Sam's Club spokesperson said "we have procedures in place for the safety of our associates and members, and our associate reacted as quickly possible to enforce these procedures as soon as they became aware of the situation."

"That was just insane. I hope that couple thinks before they do that again," added Trudy Pagano.

Before You Leave, Check This Out