MEMPHIS, Tenn. — State inspectors padlocked gas pumps at a Mid-South gas station after a News Channel 3 investigation.

The WREG investigators got involved when one of the store’s customers called us about a $1,000 repair bill after mechanics found water instead of gas in her tank.

WREG discovered at least three people spent about a $1,000 to get their cars fixed, but if these customers want their money back, they’ll have to talk to the store owner.

WREG cameras rolled as state inspectors padlocked the pumps at Rass Convenience Store in Raleigh.

Pumps with mid-grade and premium unleaded gas were allowed to stay in use, but the store was forced to stop selling regular unleaded gasoline.

The state fined the station $500.00 and issued a Stop Sale.

Inspectors found water in the regular unleaded gas and they were not the only ones to find the problem.

“It was jerking and hesitating. I was like wait a minute maybe I didn’t crank it up right. I cut it off crunk it up again. Put it in drive. Made it to the next pump and it went dead,” said Natasha Woods, a gas customer.

Woods said her car broke down after getting gas at Rass on Monday.

“He indicated you must have seen a lady on the news and you coming up here with the same story. I hadn’t even seen the news. Didn’t know anything about water being in his gas,” said Woods.

Neither did Tameka Steele who first reported the problem to us, last week.

She showed us a jug of what her mechanic said was water mixed with fuel that was siphoned out of her car’s fuel system.

“This is what they calling gas at that gas station,” said Steele.

The store owner originally disputed the claims.

He said no one else had complained.

“Since she pumped over 300 people came and got gas,” a clerk told WREG.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture started investigating when WREG called, last week.

They sent WREG an email today.

“We appreciate the consumer reaching out to us, and you for bringing this issue to our attention. By alerting us to the problem, we can take steps to protect other consumers,” wrote the Department of Agriculture spokesperson Corinne Gould.

The owner wouldn’t talk on camera about what the state found, but Woods said he told her he’d reimburse her the $800.00 she paid to get her car fixed.

“I’m going to take him at his word but if he wants to turn this molehill into a mountain, I’m ready to fight,” said Woods.

It’s a fight Woods said she might have to take to court.

WREG was told the state gives customers the results of their field tests but don’t recoup damages for you.

Customers we talked didn’t want to go to court.

They just wanted the owner to reimburse them for damages they paid out, not a penny more.

If you have a problem with bad gas, report the problem to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture at 1-800-OCTANE-1.