Fears of dramatic rises in the price of gasoline have proven unfounded in northern Illinois — at least as of Wednesday.

Gas stations across DeKalb have maintained gas prices close to those seen before the terrorist attacks.

“All the customers here are crazy,” said Erin Mutter, a gas station attendant at Clark Retail Enterprises Inc., 125 N. Annie Glidden Rd. “They made the prices go up themselves.”

Mutter was referring to the increase in demand for gasoline as customers rushed to area gas stations, fearing an increase in prices. The prices likely increased six cents per gallon at the station due to a sudden and dramatic increase in demand for gasoline, without an increase in supply.

Carla Shaw, an associate professor at NIU in the teaching and learning department, said she didn’t expect prices to go up for very long.

“I knew people would catch on sooner or later to the price gouging, and we just wouldn’t put up with this kind of thing,” Shaw said as she filled her tank Wednesday at the Clark station.

Gonzo Ramos of Rochelle concurred with Shaw as he filled his tank last night at Road Ranger on Sycamore Road.

“I think they’re idiots,” Ramos said of people flooding area gas stations on Tuesday evening. “If anyone would’ve paid attention to the news, they’d have seen what happens to anyone who attempts to price gouge,” Ramos said, referring to State’s Attorney General Jim Ryan’s statement’s regarding an investigation into price gouging at the pump Tuesday night.

Prices actually dropped about five cents per gallon between Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the Road Ranger gas station.

Of five area gas station prices checked twice in a 24-hour period, the total change was about a 1.25 percent increase in price over the average cost per gallon during the two days.