They took it from underground tanks.
By requiring prepayment before the pumps can be started, gas stations have become more aware of potential thieves. Although this has reduced the theft rate, thieves will continue to seek out new opportunities after one end. Texas thieves have made minivans that can siphon gas from underground storage tanks at gas stations.
According to KHOU 11, this happened three days consecutively at Houston’s Fuqua Express gas station. According to KHOU 11, Jerry Thayil, the family that owns the business, said that he discovered a discrepancy in the surveillance footage. He noticed something unusual. A minivan that looks similar to a Chrysler Town & Country would park at the tank fill ports for about 15 to 20 minutes before driving off.
Thayil claims that the suspects took the gas from the bottom of the Chrysler and used a pump to transport it to the van. It’s not clear how the thieves gained entry to the fill ports. Thayil believes that they used their own locks. Hours before the van returned to the station, he spoke with Houston police. He saw the van parked there and chased it.
Over three days, the thieves stole approximately 1,000 gallons diesel from the store. They also stole about 350 gallons per day. The theft cost the store approximately $5,000 and doesn’t seem to have been carried out by one individual. Thayil also saw a black Porsche lookout vehicle in surveillance footage. This was used to conceal the illegal act of the thieves.
Unfortunately, Fuqua Express is not the only Houston gas station that has been victim to thieves. Different thieves took over $8,000 from another Chevron station and stole 1,754 gallons diesel fuel. The suspects operated multiple vehicles, according to police. However, law enforcement did not provide any additional information.