how do people make money?

Scammer steals credit cards. Buys all the **** they can with it. Often online, not always.
Turns around and sells stuff super cheap online to make cash. The owner of the credit card will charge back and autozone loses out the raises prices next year.
Next year Jim Bob swears off autozone for rock auto because it's "so much cheaper". Circle of life.
Also, stuff gets shipped around to avoid local cops getting involved because the feds are slow. How do they pay for overnight shipping? Oh yeah, free credit card..

TL;DR: The gas can wasn't stolen, but the credit card used to buy it was.