Circle K Clerk Steals Winning Lottery Ticket
ExxonMobil Offers Donation Matching
Circle K Buys 16 New Mexico Stations
Chevron Tests ExtraMile in Seattle
Burglar Trapped in Conoco Convenience Store

CIRCLE K CLERK STEALS WINNING LOTTERY TICKET

NOGALES, AZ. — A Circle K clerk here has been charged with stealing a lottery ticket and then collecting the winnings for herself.

According to local police reports, an unidentified man came to the Circle K store with several tickets for "The Pick" lottery contest to check if they were winners. Clerk Delia Kerr took the tickets to check for winners and then returned the stack to the man with one of the tickets missing. When he noticed that one of the tickets was missing, he notified the store manager. A search was conducted of the c-store, but the missing lottery ticket was not found.

Shortly thereafter, Kerr turned in a winning lottery ticket for the million-dollar prize.

An investigation into the case was opened after Circle K employees heard a rumor about a colleague illegally claiming over one million dollars in winnings. As part of the investigation, Circle K officials were able to match the time of the winning ticket sale with photos from their security camera to get a clear photo of the actual purchaser of the winning lottery ticket — who was not Kerr.

The Attorney General's office alleges that Kerr kept the ticket from the unidentified man to steal the prize money.

Nogales police have arrested Kerr, 50, and her sister, Susan Kerr, on suspicion of theft and fraud. The Attorney General's office also seized over $1 million from Tucson bank accounts opened by the Kerrs.

Arizona Lottery Officials ' armed with photos of the lottery ticket buyer from the Circle K surveillance cameras — say they are now looking for the rightful owner of the winning ticket.

EXXONMOBIL OFFERS DONATION MATCHING

IRVING, TX. — ExxonMobil has established a Hurricane Katrina Matching Program for contributions by employees, retirees, surviving spouses, dealers and distributors worldwide in an effort to assist those affected by the devastating natural disaster.

ExxonMobil will provide a one-to-one match of individual contributions up to $50,000 made through December 31, 2005, to one of four organizations — American Red Cross (emergency response); Americares (essential medical supplies and personnel); America's Second Harvest (food to relief agencies and food banks); and the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund (recovery and reconstruction efforts) — that are positioned to provide disaster relief and recovery assistance across the entire affected area. Each organization has its own area of focus and those making a donation are encouraged to support the charity most closely aligned with their own beliefs.

This effort is in addition to the more than $7 million already committed by the company.

CIRCLE K BUYS 16 NEW MEXICO STATIONS

LAVAL, QUE. — Circle K Stores Inc., has signed an agreement with Conway Oil Co. and its Conway Real Estate Co. to purchase 16 gasoline stations with convenience stores in New Mexico. The purchase price for deal, expected to be completed by December, was not disclosed.

The 16 stations, located in the greater Albuquerque area, sell motor fuel under the Shell or Chevron brand and all include a Winners-branded c-store. Circle K agreed to buy the land and buildings for 10 of the locations and lease the other six.

Circle K stores is a subsidiary of Canadian company Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Couche-Tard is the second largest independent c-store operator in North America after 7-Eleven Inc. and the company says they plan to continue their expansion across the continent.

With this acquisition, the Circle K division will operate 286 c-stores in the West.

"We are pleased with this opportunity, which allows us to complement the network expansion plans in the West Coast Division," said Brian Hannasch, senior vice president for western North America. "We selected the stores based on prime locations, potential for growth and quality of people. These new sites will contribute to improve the profitability of the division."

Jessy Hayem, a financial analyst with Desjardins Securities, noted, "We believe that Couche-Tard is taking advantage of opportunistic acquisitions to reinforce its position in its existing markets. We also believe that opportunities are becoming available as some operators are being forced to exit or be acquired, particularly those whose business models depend on gasoline and that do not have the purchasing power and financial ability to invest in store remodeling."

CHEVRON TESTS EXTRAMILE IN SEATTLE

SEATTLE, WA. — Chevron has begun testing its ExtraMile convenience store image in the Seattle, WA., marketplace.

The Extra Mile program includes re-branding of Chevron c-store locations to the Extra Mile image, considered a more upscale offering. The Seattle stores feature neutral, earthy tones and large scale graphics to guide customers.

Inside the store, four new "zones" will be added for customers: Coffee; HydraZone for water and energy drinks; Better Choices for healthy, low-fat, natural, and alternative snacks; and Food-to-Go.

Chevron has been promoting the ExtraMile locations by holding Grand Openings when the rebranded station upgrades are completed. Local residents are invited to the c-store for product samples, music, and the opportunity to win gasoline prizes.

Approximately 45 locations are participating in the test.

BURGLAR TRAPPED IN CONOCO C-STORE

MONTROSE, CO. — A burglary suspect became trapped inside the Q & T Conoco convenience store while trying to rob the location in the early morning hours.

According to local police reports, Richard Bottinelli, 36, entered the c-store, located on South Townsend Avenue here, and robbed the location but then could not operate the dead-bolt locks or break the glass to escape. He did, however, attract the attention of local Officer Rick Gawlinski who saw a man inside the c-store trying to break the window.

The suspect then barricaded himself inside the office of the convenience store, blocking the door with a safe and furniture to elude the police. However, Bottinelli was arrested as he was trying to climb through the ceiling tiles when officers were able to break through the barricade.

Bottinelli has been charged with felony counts of second-degree burglary, criminal mischief, theft of more than $500 and possession of burglary tools.

Originally published in the October 2005 issue of O&A Marketing News.
Copyright 2005 by KAL Publications Inc.