Some 30,000 gallons of diesel valued at $100,0000 were seized as part of Operation Van Diesel. (Hillsborough County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office via YouTube)
February 11, 2026 1:27 PM, EST
Key Takeaways:
- Authorities in Florida, Alabama and New Jersey arrested suspects in separate diesel theft schemes involving cloned credit cards, hacked pumps and modified vehicles.
- Officials said the operations caused millions in losses, including $3.4 million in fraudulent fuel purchases and 185,000 gallons stolen in Florida alone.
- Multiple investigations remain active as law enforcement agencies pursue additional suspects, determine the scope of the schemes and coordinate with federal partners.
Alleged multistate diesel fuel thieves have been arrested in one criminal ring that purportedly used cloned credit cards to buy $3.4 million in fuel for resale, while another operation involved hacking into truck stop pumps.
Significant thefts of diesel fuel have been occurring throughout the nation, notably in Southeast and Northeast states, with large quantities of stolen fuel offloaded for resale in elaborate criminal operations.
Florida
A six-month investigation in Florida called “Operation Van Diesel” last year resulted in the arrest of 10 suspects in a theft ring. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister revealed criminals stole 185,000 gallons of diesel worth $650,000 in retail losses from 350 thefts in numerous counties.
“Fuel theft of this magnitude puts drivers at risk, undermines the integrity of our fuel supply, and robs businesses in our communities,” Chronister said.
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Detectives noticed a rash of diesel thefts and launched what evolved into a statewide operation. On Aug. 5, 2025, the sheriff’s office noted that deputies and partner law enforcement agencies launched simultaneous raids to arrest suspects — seizing 19 vehicles and recovering 30,000 gallons of diesel fuel worth $100,000.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, “Detectives learned the suspects used modified Dodge and Chrysler minivans equipped with 500-gallon tanks, pumps, hidden compartments and cut-through floorboards to siphon diesel fuel directly from underground gas station tanks. In minutes, they could steal hundreds of gallons of diesel. The stolen fuel was then transported to trucking yards and resold at a discounted rate.”
Alabama
DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden’s office announced the arrest of a Los Angeles man during a Feb. 2 routine traffic stop of a U-Haul van traveling on state Route 117.
A deputy noticed the driver, who didn’t have a commercial driver license, allegedly “hauling large tanks containing approximately 600 gallons of diesel fuel stowed improperly” in the rear of the van. A vehicle search led to the apparent discovery of a bag containing electrical switches, wiring, remotes and battery packs that “raised suspicions when coupled with such a large amount of diesel fuel in close proximity,” Welden’s office stated.
Electrical switches, wiring, remotes and battery packs were among the devices found during a routine traffic stop Feb. 2. (DeKalb County, Ala., Sheriff’s Office)
The sheriff’s office then notified other law enforcement agencies, including the FBI.
Investigators determined the suspect reportedly “was conducting a sophisticated multistate diesel fuel theft that consisted of illegally hijacking diesel pumps at truck stops across the country.”
The driver allegedly had driven from New Jersey along the East Coast while “gaining access to an unknown number of diesel fuel pumps to essentially ‘scam’ the pumps into dispensing fuel without paying,” Welden’s office noted.
The suspect was arrested and charged with felony unlawful motor vehicle fuel transport, receiving stolen property and possessing burglary tools.
New Jersey
The Office of New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin on Jan. 16 announced charges filed against 25 individuals and four companies for their alleged involvement in a $3.4 million criminal enterprise using an ice cream truck to haul stolen diesel fuel.
The gang allegedly operated in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts using “master” keys to unlock gas pumps. Once unlocked, credit card “skimmers” reportedly were placed on pumps to steal financial information from credit and debit cards. The data was used reportedly to clone 500 cards to fraudulently buy tens of thousands of gallons of diesel fuel for resale to trucking companies and other fuel providers.
“Participants allegedly placed skimming devices on various gas pumps when the gas stations were closed. A skimming device is a card reader that is surreptitiously placed in a location where individuals will insert their credit or debit cards and records the user’s information,” according to the attorney general’s office. “Various vehicles — some having been modified with auxiliary tanks [allegedly] to illegally transport fraudulently purchased diesel fuel — were loaded up with the stolen fuel and delivered it to customers, earning the enterprise illicit profits of $3.4 million during the time period of the investigation.”
The alleged thieves drove from many gas stations where they illegally bought fuel and then immediately traveled to the companies to sell the diesel fuel, according to the attorney general’s office.
“On numerous dates, the owner-operators of the customer-trucking companies were present, directing the drivers where to offload the fuel, from vehicles clearly not designed to lawfully transport fuel, including during late hours,” the attorney general’s office stated. “For example, one of the enterprise vehicles that was rigged to transport fuel was an ice cream truck.”
All defendants were charged with first-degree racketeering, while others also were charged with other crimes.
