SAN DIEGO — San Diego Police are searching for the thieves who stole $16,000 worth of gas from an Otay Mesa gas station Friday morning.
It happened at 76/Circle K on Otay Center Drive at Pump 20. The manager declined to go on camera but told CBS 8 that the thieves stole fuel at 2:00 a.m., returned at 5:00 a.m., and stole some more.
Initially, he said he didn't realize what had happened, and everything seemed normal. The thieves pulled up in a truck and used a credit card to pump $70 worth of fuel.
He said they pried open the machine's front panel and were somehow able to manipulate the pump to continue pumping fuel.
According to the surveillance video, he said it appeared they put the diesel fuel into some sort of large container inside a flatbed trailer.
He discovered the theft after running the report detailing how much fuel had been sold. The amount of diesel fuel stolen was around 3,000 gallons, which he said is typically the amount they sell in an entire day.
He called the police, but at that point, the suspects had already left.
The manager told CBS 8 that this has happened before. A few weeks ago, 800 gallons of diesel fuel was stolen. A couple of years ago, he said thieves stole thousands of gallons. He said no one has ever been arrested.
San Diego Police confirm they are investigating this case. A spokesperson said they are also investigating a fuel theft at another Otay Mesa gas station that happened Friday morning. Police believe the two cases are connected. Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Diego Police Department.