SAUK RAPIDS, Minn. -- A Minnesota convenience-store owner is taking security in a new direction by not only welcoming armed customers into his store but also actually rewarding them with a 10-cent-per-gallon discount on gasoline.
On the heels of robberies at the store in Sauk Rapids, Minn., owner Frank Schwagel posted a sign on the entrance to his Shell-branded store that reads:
Gas discount for law enforcement or people with proof of permit to carry. Ten cents per gallon after 7 p.m. daily.
“[I’m] just trying to bring it to people’s attention that there’s been some robberies going on around town. And these guys are coming in with guns and knives and threatening our employees,” Schwagel told WJON. “It’s pretty disconcerting. I just figured anything I can do to draw attention to the problem.”
Schwagel’s sign quickly gained attention on Facebook, where a photo posted by a customer was shared several times and drew comments such as, “Can I get a hell yeah?” and “Well, the Shell station in Sauk Rapids now has my business anytime I need fuel from that area. This is awesome.”
Schwagel just wants the robberies to stop.
“We’ve had to spend a lot of extra money on security, to try to keep an eye on the store during all hours of the day,” he told WJON. “I’m also paying people to keep an eye on the store independently. We’re just hoping these guys get caught.”
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