Four men have been arrested in Florida after they installed devices inside gas pumps that reduced prices to almost nothing as fuel costs continue to soar, officials said.
The four suspects are being accused of installing sophisticated pulsators inside pumps that regulate fuel flow and price, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said. The devices reduce per-gallon costs to just pennies, allowing drivers to fill up their vehicles almost for free.
The alleged hackers have already pulled off the scheme at two different stations in Lakeland and Lutz before they got caught.
Two of the suspects, Rogelio Lierana and Yulier Garcia-Martnez were busted on March 12 in Lakeland while filling up an oversize gas tank. Officials said Garcia-Martinez was even holding a remote control to manipulate the pulsators. The third suspect, Yordian Diaz-Benitez, of Tampa, was busted for stealing diesel fuel at a Lutz station on March 10. The fourth suspect, Marlon Rosel-Rodrigez, was arrested two days later for attempting to install the device inside a pump at the same station.
Following the suspects’ apprehensions, the president of the Florida Department of Agriculture Ned Bowman said skyrocketing fuel prices have fraudsters licking their chops.
“These are criminal rings. I think you are going to see this expand,” Bowman told the New York Post.
Bowman said the suspects pulled up the scheme to fill up large trucks containing oversize tanks on the cut-rate and resell them at a steep profit. With gas selling in Florida for $5 per gallon, and gas thieves able to fill up for pocket money, Bowman said the scheme damages both merchants and regular patrons.
Authorities have warned gas station owners to look out for large trucks that stop at pumps for long periods. Station owners were also alerted to cross-check their inventory outflow and income to detect hacked pumps.
“With gas prices hitting record highs, fuel theft can further drive up costs for all consumers,” said FDACS Commissioner Nikki Fried in a statement.
