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Thieves Steal Nearly 1,000 Gallons Of Diesel From Leesburg Station
POSTED: 4:20 pm EDT May 21,
2008
UPDATED: 9:31 am EDT May 22,
2008
LEESBURG, Fla. -- Police are looking for four people accused of stealing more than $4,000 worth of fuel from a gas station. While drive-offs are not that unusual, what happened in this case is.Investigators said the men waited at the gas station for more than an hour while they stole the gas. At more than $4.50 a gallon for diesel, police said stolen gas is hotter than ever.The thieves were able to tap into the bottom of the pump and it allowed them to take as much fuel as they wanted from pump 4 at the Island Food Store gas station in Leesburg (see map).Managers said four men in a large truck parked and put down $20 for diesel. The screen said they only pumped five dollars worth, but it later was realized the fuel kept flowing while the four men sat inside the store for almost two hours.No one realized what happened until after the truck made off with 926 gallons, worth more than $4,100."How can you steal a thousand gallons of diesel from a pump? That's just unbelievable," said a trucker who identified himself as RC.RC said he pays as much as $800 every time he fills up his big rig, but said others pay much less for stolen gas on a thriving black market."Just get out on the radio at a truck stop and you'll hear people advertising for diesel," he said.The manager at the Leesburg store wouldn't go on camera and no one can explain how the suspects went unnoticed for so long.Police said they got some fingerprints off of the pump and they're waiting to look at some surveillance video from inside the store. Based on a short conversation with an employee, they think the men may have been from Miami.
Previous Stories:
- May 9, 2008: Kissimmee Police Searching For Persons Of Interest In Gas Theft
- April 23, 2008: Gas Thieves Siphoning Fuel From Business Vehicles
- April 15, 2008: Gas Thief Hits Police Officer During Escape In Casselberry
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