Earlier today gas prices saw a spike of more than $70 a barrel.

Experts say you can expect to see gas prices increase over the next few days.

Capitol City Oil President Marvin Spees says gas prices should rise throughout the night, “The closest thing I can relate this to is 9-11, we haven't seen anything like this since then."

But this time it's not a terrorist attack but hurricane Katrina.

Spees says the worst thing to do is panic, “Panic only raises the price it creates a lot of stress on people."

But panic is what led Chad Norris to the gas station, “That’s the reason I came up here right now, I saw the news and saw what hurricane Katrina was doing and thought I'd come up here and fill up on gas before it did."

With the steep prices, some already at $2.90, some gas stations are finding humor to cope. And other are finding methods to protect their precious commodity.

Kelly Brinkley, a gas attendant at Phillip's 66 on Washburn Rd. says it's important to make his presence known, “We go out and talk to them and basically it's like putting the scarecrow in the field it wards them off."

Brinkley says he thinks it helped stop a drive-off today, “I came out here immediately, went out there and greeted them asked them if they needed their oil checked and basically that took care of the problem."

Spees said to expect prices to go down in a few days, “I think the price decrease will come as fast as the increase has come."

The Attorney General's office did say they won't start paying attention to prices unless they reach $5 to $6.