Gas Thieves Leave Mess in Citrus Park

It was about 1 a.m. when the sheriff's deputy saw a mysterious van.

Deputy Alexander Hockersmith made a U-turn on Citrus Park Drive and into the BP gas station at 8606 Citrus Park Drive. Another car was parked at the closed gas station. As the deputy pulled in that car left the scene.

But what remained were all officials needed to know a crime was taking place.

The deputy found a blue Chevy van with a hose running from the floor into the underground gas tank pumping gas into a 250-gallon tank.

The van was being used to steal diesel gas from the gas station.

Within minutes the tank began to overflow with about 20 gallons of diesel oil spilling, creating a hazardous situation outside the station.

Fire officials and the county's Hazmat team responded to the scene.

Data is sketchy on incidents of gasoline and diesel theft, however, the assumption is criminals begin to steal gasoline more often when gas prices rise, said Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Capt. Andrew Ross.

And with gas prices on the rise recently, agencies from across the state have been reporting the crime more often, Ross said.

"We had a widespread problem a couple years ago," Ross said. "Now it appears to be on the upswing."

The gasoline thieves often sell gas and diesel at stations set up in residential areas, Ross said.

The Citrus Park BP station remained closed and a portion of Citrus Park Drive was cut off this morning while a crew worked to clean up the spilled oil. The station had re-opened by late morning.

The van used to siphon the gas has not been reported stolen, Ross said. If caught, the suspects face grand theft charges.