Gasoline, Debit Cards, and...Gambling?

Most of us purchase gasoline, and most of those purchases are at a convenience store. Thanks to debit cards, probably most of us don't even go inside unless we're desperate for a Pepsi or there's a good deli. Shoalanda herself can remember entering only three mini-marts in the past few years (and may we suggest the deli at the Shell on the corner of Florence Boulevard and Glendale Avenue?). So, no, most of us probably don't even know what's inside the establishments where we purchase our gasoline via debit card at the pump.

It's been suggested that the powers that be had to have known about the gambling machines recently confiscated in Lauderdale County, but did they? We certainly didn't and we travel over the area quite a bit. 

*****

*****

How much money did these machines take in? Some are suggesting the $40,000.00 taken from one location was for a 24 hour period. It could certainly have been much longer since the loot may have been mostly in change and management may not have wanted lowly clerks to have access to the cold, hard cash. Even if this amount was for a seven day period, that's still quite a bit. How would you like an extra tax-free forty thou a week?

*****

Here's the story that broke first: Pen-N-Sword

Here's the story in our local rag: TimesDaily

Did you notice anything different? Hint: There were no names in the TD story. Is it because the store owners are universally Indian or Pakistani? What if they had all been English or Scottish? Oh, right, we McPhersons would never do such a thing.