Charlotte County deputies caught three members of an alleged statewide diesel fuel theft ring in the act at a gas station in Punta Gorda.
Just before midnight on Monday, Charlotte County deputies were made aware of some vehicles of interest (semi trucks) in multiple diesel fuel thefts entering Charlotte County.
Deputies positioned themselves to intercept the vehicles and found them at a RaceTrac Gas Station on Duncan Road in Punta Gorda. From a strategic position, a deputy was able to record the drivers of the vehicles as they unlocked and manipulated the pumps before dispensing fuel.
The men, identified as Livan Andrade, 30, Cristian Urquiza Valdes, 24, and Noel Lopez Carrasco, 32, were arrested following an investigation that revealed the pumps had been manipulated through the use of a Pulsar mechanism. This is a device that makes the pump unable to accurately register the number of gallons dispensed, therefore allowing the suspect(s) to pay significantly less than the actual value of the fuel.
Investigation found that the trucks each had hidden tanks, known as “bladders”, to store the gas that are not connected with the vehicle’s fuel lines. These bladders are designed solely for storage and transport. In total, there were hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel stolen.
“It still confuses me that criminals attempt this kind of stuff in Charlotte County, seeing how frequently we are the ones who catch them. They must not be following our social media," said Sheriff Bill Prummell. "Time and time again, my deputies are putting a stop to their criminal ways, and we are more than happy to make reservations at the Charlotte County Jail for them. I’d like to thank my team for their quick action to not only locate these suspects, but to catch them in the act. That’s the power of intelligence-led policing.”
The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office is working with other agencies across the state with related thefts that may include these suspects. Additional charges may come from those other jurisdictions.
At the time of this release, Andrade and Carrasco have been released on $2500 bond each and Valdes remains in the Charlotte County Jail without bond. Valdes also has an out-of-county warrant.
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