550 gallons of stolen diesel fuel found in van stopped in Canyon Country

Two men were arrested for stealing hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel that were discovered during a routine traffic stop in the Canyon Country area.

The stolen fuel was discovered Thursday when deputies with the Los Angeles County sheriff's Special Assignment Team stopped the stolen van in the area of Ruether Avenue and Golden Triangle Road, officials from the Santa Clarita Valley station said.

Deputies searched the van and found meth, common theft tools, a pump to siphon gas and approximately 550 gallons of diesel fuel believed to be stolen, according to officials. An image shared by the Santa Clarita Valley station showed the fuel was in large, reinforced plastic containers packed into a white panel van.

The two men who were arrested were not identified, but authorities say they face several charges.

Gas prices across Southern California have been dropping since June, but remain uncomfortably high, with a gallon of regular gas going for $5.29 in Los Angeles County.  Diesel fuel hit a high of $7 per gallon in June and has dropped to an average of $6.26 across the state.