There is one universal fact all professional football players share – they all retire from playing football professionally at a relatively young age. Too much time after retirement can lead some to do stupid things. Former Philadelphia Eagles running back Reno Mahe (MAY'-hee) is one such athlete. The former pro tailback surrendered to authorities this week to face a criminal theft charge in Utah.

Stolen Gasoline!

Mahe and four others are charged with stealing more than $15,000 in gasoline in 2010 from a construction company in a Salt Lake City suburb. It appears that the former standout running back at BYU was booked last week and has a court date pending for next month.

One of Mahe’s Cougar teammates, Tevita Ofahengaue, also is charged with a single count of theft, as are Michael Andrus, Mark Evers and Fred Prescott.

Evers, and employee of A-Core Concrete Cutting, was using a gas code to steal gasoline from the company for the last four years. The firm conducted an audit and calculated a loss of more than $55,000 between June 18, 2006, and Oct. 17, 2010.

Caught in the Act!

Video surveillance footage available for the final three months of the thefts observed Evers, and four of his friends, including Mahe, fill their personal vehicles with gas after business hours using the code. It was determined that Mahe was present during the theft of $2,688 worth of gasoline.

Because the amount is more than $1,500, Mahe is charged with theft, a second-degree felony. In a police interview, Evers admitted that he and his friends would meet once or twice a week at A-Core and they would fill their vehicles with gas. He said Mahe and Andrus would come with him often and that Ofahengaue and Prescott came with him only a few times.

Evers also admitted that he told all four at different times that he was not allowed to take gas from the company.

At the time, Mahe said he wasn't aware he was being accused of doing something wrong. Mahe, 31, played for the Eagles for five years until 2008.

While he admitted that he would gladly pay the company back because he didn’t know he was getting “stolen” gasoline, there is no doubt on some level Mr. Mahe knew exactly that what he was doing was both wrong and illegal. Perhaps a stop theft class will help him see that there is a fine black and white line between what is stealing and what isn’t!