Community Corner
Settlement Reached with Bellmore-Merrick Gas Stations in Price Gouging Probe
Three local gas stations raised prices 30 percent or higher after Hurricane Sandy ripped through the area.
Editor's Note: This article was written by Andrew Coen.
Two North Bellmore gas stations and one from Merrick have reached a settlement with New York State after being probed for price gouging in the wake of Hurricane Sandy last fall, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced Thursday afternoon.
East End Marketing, located at 2870 North Jerusalem Rd., raised their prices 42 percent immediately after Sandy, and prices rose to $4.31 per gallon.
A few blocks away, Road Ready, which is located at 2786 North Jerusalem Rd., raised prices 34 percent to $4.20 per gallon.
Lastly, BP, located at 1577 Merrick Rd., raised prices 30 percent to $4.12 per gallon.
"Six months ago this week, as New Yorkers were sitting in lines waiting for hours to buy critical supplies of gasoline, some shady business owners were trying to make a fast buck at their expense," said Schneiderman in a statement. "Today, we are sending a powerful message that ripping off New Yorkers during a time of crisis is against the law and we will do everything in our power to hold them accountable."
This is a breaking news story, and Patch will provide more information as it's made available.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
