Man Arrested On Suspicion Of Stealing Over $40K In Gasoline In San Diego County

SAN DIEGO, CA — A man was arrested on suspicion of stealing more than $40,000 worth of gasoline from a gas station in the South Bay area of San Diego County, authorities said.

Andrew Gerardo Escobedo, 19, was found shortly before 11:30 a.m. Monday inside a GMC Yukon while filling it with gas at the Chevron station in the 1900 block of Sweetwater Road in the Lincoln Acres community, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office. He was arrested and booked into San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of grand theft.

Deputies from the Imperial Beach Sheriff's Substation initially responded to a report of grand theft Nov. 26 at the gas station.

Employees told deputies the suspect had been visiting the Chevron at least twice a week since June, stealing an estimated $2,000 worth of gasoline each time. Gas station staff had been working with Chevron's information technology department to track fuel consumption that did not match the daily sales figures.

Further investigation revealed Escobedo manipulated the gas pumps using a credit card to indicate to the fuel system the pump was in use even though the transactions were never completed, according to the sheriff's office.

Officials estimate Escobedo may have stolen about $42,000 worth of gasoline, the sheriff's office said. During Escobedo's arrest, deputies found large plastic containers inside his vehicle, some of which contained gasoline.