3 accused in scheme to steal gasoline from Sunnyvale station
SUNNYVALE – Authorities in Sunnyvale arrested three people late Wednesday who allegedly conspired in what was described as a "sophisticated operation" to steal gasoline from a station.
According to the city's Department of Public Safety, officers arrested the suspects around 11:45 p.m. at the Valero station located at 1097 East Duane Avenue, near Lawrence Expressway.
"For weeks, these suspects had been conspiring together in a sophisticated operation to thwart security devices and pump electronics to steal large amounts of gasoline from the business," the department said in a statement Friday.
Additional details about the thefts were not immediately available. The case remains under investigation.
The suspects have been identified as 66-year-old James Hodgins, 57-year-old Maurice Hanks and 55-year-old Kendale Demer. According to jail records, Hodgins and Hanks were held at the Elmwood Correctional Facility and made court appearances on Friday.
Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety at 408-730-7110.
