Protesters Angry At Station Owner

Protesters angry at what they called serious price gouging have demonstrated outside a Warren gas station for six days.
The unidentified owner of the Marathon station at 12 Mile and Schoenherr roads raised prices to $5 a gallon Sept. 11, following the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

The station raised the price of regular gas after a competing station increased its price to $1.99 from $1.63, a worker told Local First News. Panic over Middle East strife in the wake of the attacks caused station owners to inflate prices last week. Motorists began lining up at stations across the region the evening of the attacks, following reports of rising prices throughout the Midwest.

Marathon's wholesale rate to owners increased 15 cents at the time, Local First News reported.

Despite the hefty price, the Marathon station sold out of gas and then closed, according to Local First News. Word of the hefty prices reached police, who came to the station to speak to the owner. Prices at the station dropped shortly after officers intervened.

Customers said that they were angry because the owner allegedly refused to even apologize for over-charging customers.

The owner did not comment to Local First News on the demonstration. Protesters vowed to continue picketing.

State Attorney General Jennifer Granholm said the day following the attack that she was sending notices to a number of gas stations for violating the state's Consumer Protection Act by increasing prices. Violators would face $20,000 fines for attempting to take advantage of motorists.

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