Police are frantically searching for two Florida men who made off with almost 1,100 gallons of fuel from a gas station.
The heist took place on June 1st in St. Cloud, which is about 28 miles south of Orlando. Surveillance footage captured two Hispanic males stealing the fuel and storing it in large tanks located in the beds of two older model white Ford F-250 pickup trucks. The gas was worth approximately $6,000.
Fuel theft rings have become increasingly common in Florida as gas prices continue to soar. They’ve even gotten creative on several occasions, installing devices on gas pumps that slash the cost of the fuel. In April, six men were busted for stealing at least $60,000 worth of fuel and reselling it at half price. With average gas prices in the state nearing $5 per gallon, Florida Petroleum Marketers says that combating these rings has proven difficult.
“They’re just stealing right out of the tanks,” said Ned Bowman, an executive director of the organization.
Florida is not the only state being hit hard by petroleum thieves. Last month, authorities in Las Vegas cautioned the public about bandits drilling into gas tanks and stealing fuel directly from gas pumps. In March, Portland, Oregon, issued warnings about thieves piercing holes into vehicle gas tanks, causing owners hundreds in damages.
