13 WTHR - Indianapolis News |Drivers angered by gas price jump

Drivers angered by gas price jump

Indianapolis - Gas prices in Indiana have skyrocketed this week. We're seeing prices as high as $3.95 per gallon in Indianapolis.

It's a little cheaper in Illinois at $3.86. In Ohio, the average gallon of gas is going for $3.73 and in California the average is $3.88. The lowest average price is in Delaware at $3.37 a gallon.

So why are Indiana prices so high?

"I think they ought to investigate what's going on because I think it's scalping myself. They're just stealing out of everybody's pocket," said Rowland Woolworth, Indianapolis.

"I don't think there should be an investigation. I just think there should be some relief. I think there should be some solutions, not an investigation - from the oil companies, from the government, from citizens," said Langa Floyd, Indianapolis.

The state government has heard from citizens outraged about the high prices. In just the past 24 hours, the attorney general's gas gouging hotline has seen an increase of 270 percent.

"Any time the price spikes, if you have a 30- to 40-percent jump than we have an increase in calls," said Attorney General Steve Carter.

Carter says the number of complaints has actually gone down over the past few years. Still, he says it's important for consumers to voice their concerns.

"If somebody believes there's pricing at a particular station that is improper, it's important for us to have that data to pursue those complaints," Carter said.

Economists insist prices at the pump have nothing to do with gouging but mother nature. Since Hurricane Ike is taking aim at Gulf Coast refineries, prices have gone up.

"This is an isolated phenomenon. It's primarily in the United States, more so in the Midwest. Probably in the rest of the globe, the price of gasoline probably went down," said Prof. Matthew Will, University of Indianapolis.

Attorney general's page on gas prices

Indy gas prices