Thieves try to steal diesel fuel from gas station | Crime

Tampa, Florida -- A HAZMAT team spent most of Tuesday morning cleaning up 25 gallons of spilled diesel, after a few thieves attempted to steal the gasoline from the in-ground fuel tank.

It happened at the BP gas station at 8606 Citrus Park Drive, near Westfield Citrus Park mall.

Detectives say a patrol deputy spotted the oddly parked van at the closed gas station just after 1 a.m. as he was driving down Citrus Park Blvd.

By the time he turned around, the suspects took off in a getaway vehicle, leaving the siphon pumping into the van and fuel spilling all over the parking lot.

This crime isn't anything new.

Capt Andy Ross, with HCSO says the thieves will often gut out a van and place a bladder bag inside with a pump on the bottom so they can park over the in-ground tanks and siphon out fuel.

The vans can carry up to 250 gallons of stolen fuel.

"We had a widespread case of this a few years ago in the central part of the state.  It never really went away, but it seemed to kind of die down a little bit.  It does seem now it might be on the upswing again," Capt. Ross told 10 News.

Capt. Ross says the suspect vans are fairly easy to spot; they are usually oddly blacked out and have a barricade behind the driver's seat.  A van full of stolen fuel will appear to be weighed down and may even be leaking fuel.

The stolen fuel is usually then sold on the black market.

Detectives are working to find surveillance video from the time of the theft and continue to search for the suspects.