Police want fuel thief in the tank
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Investigators know of at least three instances when the same thief has gassed up and drove off from local convenience stores — and they suspect he’s likely doing it in other towns.
Video surveillance footage taken recently at the Convenience Barn store on Route 221 just west of U.S. 67 shows a short white male with a mustache fill up his truck and two gas cans. An employee recognized the man from an earlier drive off and walked out to speak with him.
On the tape it’s visible as the man gets into the truck. The employee reportedly told the man he needed to go inside the station and pay for his fuel, at which time he asked if the station had an air hose. The employee told the man “yes”, and he said he was going to pull over to get some air. At that point the driver begins to back the truck up, then shifts it into drive and speeds off the lot and heads west on Route 221.
Police are hoping a reader will recognize the suspect or his truck and help with the investigation. The truck is late 1980s or early 1990s GMC Sonoma. The front fenders and top of the cab are dark blue, while the rest of the truck is lighter blue. At the time of the gas theft the truck had license number 598-YSB, an illegal plate off of a car, attached to the rear. Apparently there was a plate with a different number attached to the front bumper. Neither plate belongs to the truck.
Theft of fuel from gas stations is a growing crime these days. But it’s not only gas stations and convenience stores who are losing out. Chief of Police Rick Baker says the police department is also seeing an increase in theft of gasoline and diesel fuel from parked vehicles. The department has taken reports from citizens and businesses.
“With the increased cost of fuel, we’re not only seeing an increase in the number of instances, but it also means an increase in the dollar value. Many of these thefts are ranging $60 to $90 or more,” Baker said.
Anyone with information about the blue truck or its driver is being asked to call the Farmington Police Department at 756-6686. Anyone with a tip which might lead to solving other fuel drive-off cases is being asked to call the police department in the town where the crime occurred.
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