Investigators in northern Arizona say they have recovered more than 2,100 gallons of diesel and arrested two men after an apparent fuel theft at two adjacent fueling stations in the small town of Seligman. Deputies reported that roughly 1,400 gallons were taken from the Historic General Store’s tanks and the remainder was taken from the Chevron station across the street, with the total loss estimated at nearly $7,000 by the store owner.
Employees at the Historic General Store discovered the theft last week when alarms indicated the tanks had been run completely empty. Franceen Wagy, who works at the store, said she arrived Friday morning and learned the pumps had been drained. “The alarms were going off cause they ran the tanks completely empty,” Wagy said. She described the theft as disappointing but not entirely unexpected, noting the store sits less than a minute from Interstate 40 and had experienced a fuel theft about four years earlier.
During the course of the investigation, a deputy located a U-Haul truck that matched a description of a suspected vehicle. Deputies also indicated a third suspect may have been involved in the thefts and that investigators are looking for a newer-model black Ford F-650 flatbed truck possibly linked to that third person. While tracking the U-Haul, the deputy observed diesel fuel leaking from the vehicle’s cargo area onto the street and traced shoeprints in the spill to a nearby hotel room.
Less than 30 minutes after deputies took a statement from the general store owner, investigators learned two suspects had been located at the Aztec Motel just down the street. Deputies entered the motel room and took into custody 37-year-old Dachel Roberto Michel Campos and 23-year-old Jesus Daniel Rodriguez Yordy, both identified as residents of Las Vegas. The two were booked following the arrests.
Booking photos of two men arrested by authorities in connection with suspected diesel fuel thefts in northern Arizona.
A search of the motel room produced several items deputies said were connected to the thefts. Officials reported finding a credit card skimmer, receipts for tools investigators believe were used during the burglaries, multiple credit cards that belonged to people not involved in the thefts, and keys that fit the U-Haul unit found by deputies. Those items are being held by investigators as part of the criminal investigation.
A subsequent search of the U-Haul turned up what deputies described as a makeshift fuel transport system: seven containers rigged inside the vehicle that together held about 2,100 gallons of stolen diesel. Authorities said the fuel was recovered and returned to the two fueling stations. Investigators also recovered fuel transfer equipment at the scene.
Fuel hoses and a nozzle recovered by investigators after about 2,100 gallons of diesel were reportedly stolen in Seligman, Arizona.
The owner of the Historic General Store told investigators the theft amounted to nearly $7,000 worth of fuel. He said suspects bypassed the pump system to take diesel for an estimated cost of roughly $5, a method investigators characterized as hacking the pump system. Wagy underscored the irony of the suspects’ operation, noting the U-Haul used to haul the stolen fuel had itself run out of gas. “You just stole a bunch of diesel and your own vehicle doesn’t…how are you going to get away like smarts weren’t there for the whole thing,” she said.
Sebastian De Boorder, who owns the Aztec Motel where the arrests were made, said the incident disrupted his business and expressed concern about the town’s image. “Stealing from local businesses during these troubling times,” De Boorder said. “Well, we never had this happen since we were in business, so our town is very lovely.” He added that the episode had slowed down business at the motel.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing as they seek information about a possible third suspect and the black Ford F-650 that may have been involved. Anyone with details related to the case or the identity of the third person is urged to contact the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office at 928-771-3260. Tips also can be submitted anonymously through Yavapai Silent Witness at 1-800-932-3232.