RECOVERY WATCH : High Price Club

Oakland had them in 1991 following the firestorms there and, later, after Hurricane Andrew, south Florida had them. We refer to that particularly heinous form of human parasite, the disaster price gouger. Now, an indigenous variety has sprung up amid the aftershocks of the Northridge earthquake.

The son of an aide to Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Panorama City) ran across the vermin when he went to buy a copper tube for a hot water heater, an item that usually costs $8.98. He was charged $30. “Earthquake prices,” the merchant explained.

San Fernando police persuaded the manager of a service station to lower his gasoline prices after he boosted them 140%.

A Sylmar woman reported that a convenience store charged her $1.50 for a cup of water. Two other convenience stores in the Valley were charging $6 for a gallon of water. A construction materials company unabashedly penciled in a tenfold price increase for plywood.

Such gouging is illegal in Los Angeles, a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. The law forbids increasing the price of consumer goods, repair services, emergency or medical supplies or gasoline by more than 10% above that being charged immediately before a declared emergency.

Victims of profiteering can and should report such incidents to a new task force on price gouging and other quake complaints, at (800) 897-6677. That’s the best way to help L.A. officials crack down on these greedy, opportunistic merchants.