Everyone knows that car theft is a significant problem, but the same applies to people stealing gas from station pumps. Some blame this on the ever-changing gas prices, but there is still no excuse for committing theft. This happened recently in Florida, and now one man is facing severe charges for his alleged actions.

The crime of going to gas station pumps and getting more gas than paid for is growing

According to WFLA, Osney Gutierrez Hernandez used the gas station pumps at a 7-Eleven in Pasco County, FL, on April 4th. Specifically, he was there to buy diesel and used his debit card. However, the report claims he “was able to manipulate the pump to continue dispensing fuel without incurring the appropriate charges.” This means he could continue pumping as much fuel as he wanted while only paying a fraction of the cost. 

While at the 7-Eleven gas station pumps, he put the diesel into a separate fuel tank that he or someone else had hidden and altered. The arrest affidavit says, “The tank was a 100-gallon legitimate fuel tank, which had been altered to add an additional approximately 100 to 150-gallon tank to the side.” He had hidden it inside a compartment above the regular fuel tank. 

So, how did he steal 722.16 gallons of diesel from the pumps at the 7-Eleven gas station? The report says he used the same truck to visit the station four other times. This amounts to $2,629.33 worth of stolen fuel from the same 7-Eleven. The authorities are charging him with scheming to defraud and unlawful conveyance of fuel. Of course, he is innocent until proven guilty of the crime in a court of law.