Police are searching for two men suspected of stealing nearly 1,100 gallons of fuel from a gas station in Florida.
Fox 35 reports the St. Cloud Police Department responded to a Central Florida gas station on June 1 after 1,093 gallons of diesel fuel was reported stolen from the establishment.
According to police, the two suspects, described as Hispanic males, loaded the gas into a pair of Ford F250 trucks that included large tanks in the truck beds to carry all the fuel.
According to Ned Bowman, an executive director at Florida Petroleum Marketers, officials believe that rising gas prices are leading to theft rings in Florida.
“They’re just stealing right out of the tanks,” Bowman told the New York Post. “That’s what we’re dealing with. We break up one ring and another one comes up.”
The news arrives three months after thieves stole more than 1,000 gallons of diesel from a family-owned gas station in Texas.
Meanwhile, back in March, four Florida men were arrested for installing a device on gas pumps that would slash the prices of fuel. The alleged thefts took place at a Circle K in Lutz and a Circle K in Lakeland.
Bowman previously explained to reporters how the devices work. “They go in and they change the pulsator. The pulsator is the device that is inside the gas pump that regulates the flow of the fuel,” he said. “So they’re able to change the price of the fuel down to a nickel or a penny to the gallon and fill the back of their trucks up—their bladders or spare tanks—with fuel that’s basically free.”
Related Stories
Florida Men Arrested for Allegedly Hacking Fuel Pumps and Lowering Cost of Gas to Pennies
Four Florida men were arrested after being accused of installing devices at gas stations that lowered prices, so they could pump fuel for pennies on the dollar.
Texas Gas Station Manager Says Thieves With ‘Trap Door’ Stole Over 1,000 Gallons of Diesel Fuel
The incident was allegedly broken down into a multi-day operation. On the day of what would have been the fourth attempt, the alleged thieves were chased off.
More Reports of Gas Being Stolen Through Drilling Holes Are Coming in Across the Country as Prices Hit Record Highs
The average gas price in the United States currently sits at $4.35 per gallon, as the administration continues to put the squeeze on Russian oil imports.
