Community Corner

Police: Man Drove Off with $29 in Gas Because Only $5 in Pocket

A Chicago man who said he was on his way to work was charged Monday after police say he drove off with $29 in gas but only $5 in his pocket.

A Chicago man was taken into custody Friday after he drove away from a Caledonia gas station without paying.

Randolph Didomizio, 43, was charged Monday in Racine County Circuit Court with one misdemeanor count each of theft and possession of drug paraphrenalia. If convicted, he faces up to 10 months in jail and/or up to $10,500 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint, Caledonia police were called at 8:38 a.m. Friday to Ayra's Gas and Grocery, 7100 Douglas Avenue, for a report that a driver left without paying after filling up at the gas pumps. Staff at the store gave officers a description of the vehicle and the license plate number.

Officers located the car and initiated a traffic stop a few minutes later. Police say the driver - Didomizio - first denied having gotten gas and said he only stopped at Ayra's to clean his windshield since he was on his way to work in Chicago. 

Further questioning, however, led to Didomizio admitting to filling his gas tank for $29 because he had to get to work in Chicago. But, he drove off without paying because he only had $5 on him. He also admitted to not talking with the attendant on duty to try and work out some sort of payment, the complaint reads.

Officers say they received verbal permission from Didomizio to search his vehicle, and during the search found a glass pipe with a copper pad stuffed into one side and black soot at both ends. Since the defendant is from Chicago, police say they took him into custody and booked him into the Racine County Jail on the misdemeanor charges.

Didomizio was assigned a $300 signature bond and will have his next court appearance on July 18.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here