3 out-of-state men arrested for stealing diesel fuel from a gas station in Hesperia
HESPERIA, Calif. (VVNG.com) — Three out-of-state men were arrested for stealing thousands of gallons of diesel fuel from a gas station in Hesperia.
It happened on September 10, 2022, in the 15000 block of Ranchero Road in Hesperia.
Sheriff’s officials said the business reported theft of approximately 3000 gallons of diesel fuel from their pumps, worth approximately $16,000. Detectives from the Hesperia Station assumed the investigation and discovered an electronic manipulation device had been inserted into the pump.
Video surveillance showed a white Ford F-250 pickup truck bearing Nevada license plates and a white GMC pickup truck bearing a temporary Florida license plate. Both vehicles contained large fuel tanks, installed in the bed of the trucks. Detectives determined the suspects had also used a U-Haul truck during the theft.
The registered owner of the Ford, 52-year-old Rolando Tamayo Tomas, a resident of Las Vegas, was found to be the person who rented the U-Haul truck involved in the theft.
On September 13, 2022, the same suspects, using the same pickup trucks returned to the business and again stole multiple gallons of diesel fuel.
“During this incident, a driver of one of the suspect vehicles got into a physical altercation with an employee who was a witness to the theft. The employee was not injured and called 911 to report the incident,” stated sheriff’s officials.
On September 21, 2022, through investigative leads, detectives located the GMC pickup truck parked in front of a residence in the 17000 block of C Street in Victorville.
A search warrant was authored and executed at the location and 32-year-old Luis Fernandez Cueria, a resident of Dallas, and 28-year-old Carlos Tejeda Pereira, a resident of Miami, were arrested for the theft. While detectives were at the residence, Tomas drove by the residence in the white Ford and was promptly detained and arrested.
Evidence was located at the scene, including the vehicles and tanks used in the thefts and an electronic device used to manipulate fuel pump electronic systems.
All three suspects were arrested and booked at High Desert Detention Center for grand theft and conspiracy to commit grand theft.
