Weld Sheriff's Office Seeking Information About Fuel Thefts
WELD COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) -- The Weld County Sheriff's Office is seeking information from the public about fuel thefts from local ranches.
On Dec. 5, WCSO responded to a property near Weld County Road 47 and Weld 66 on a report of a gasoline theft from a 500-gallon tank. The victim told deputies his landlord called him at 8:30 a.m. because fuel was leaking from the tank. The victim found the fuel pump handle had been broken so four inches, or 150 gallons, of gasoline leaked out.
Footage from the victim's surveillance camera shows a white pickup, possibly a Chevy Silverado, pull up to the fuel tank during the early morning hours and a man wearing dark colored pants and a light-colored jacket attempting to steal fuel.
The victim estimated the lost fuel and the broken fuel pump cost about $545.50.
On Dec. 10, deputies responded to another report of a gasoline theft at a property near the intersection of Weld 23 and Weld 34.
The owner also had a camera. Footage showed two separate vehicles pull up overnight to steal gasoline from the fuel tank.
The first, a Mercedes SUV, arrived at 1:14 a.m. and was driven by a man wearing a jacket, pants and a ballcap. The second, a Toyota sedan, arrived at 5:40 a.m. and was driven by a woman. Deputies recovered a face mask, a gas cap and two cut padlocks.
Deputies returned to the same property four days later when the property owner reported her camera caught another person attempting to steal fuel. This time it was a white GMC Sierra pickup. That driver attempted to steal dyed diesel fuel but was unable to grind through new chains and padlocks installed on the tanks. Deputies found one link from the chain that had been ground halfway through.
Anyone with information about the people or vehicles featured in the photos is asked to call non-emergency dispatch at (970) 356-4000.
Anyone with information regarding this or any other crime is asked to call the Weld County Sheriff's Office at (970) 356-4015 or Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
