Las Vegas Duo Arrested on Suspicion of Stealing 2,000 Gallons of Fuel

An investigation by a Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office deputy in Arizona resulted in the arrest of two suspects, both from Las Vegas, on suspicion of stealing over 2,000 gallons of fuel from several Seligman gas stations on May 22.

Authorities Arrest Las Vegas Residents on Suspicions of Stealing Fuel

The investigation began after a Seligman gas station reported a large diesel theft from its pumps. Soon after, a nearby station was also found to have been targeted that same night. In total, the two businesses reported the loss of more than 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

During the initial response, a Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office deputy located a parked U-Haul truck that matched the description of a suspect vehicle. Upon closer inspection, diesel fuel was seen leaking from the cargo area onto the roadway. The deputy then followed a trail of footprints from the spill, which led directly to a nearby hotel room at the Aztec Motel.

With support from the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Bureau and the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the suspects were taken into custody inside the hotel room. They are 37-year-old Dachel Roberto Michel Campos and 23-year-old Jesus Daniel Rodriguez Yordy, both of Las Vegas. Detectives also said a third, unidentified suspect is believed to have been involved. Investigators reported that a second vehicle, a black Ford F-650 flatbed truck, fled the scene before deputies arrived.

A later search of the U-Haul revealed a makeshift transport setup containing seven containers filled with approximately 2,100 gallons of stolen diesel fuel. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office worked with the affected gas stations to ensure the safe recovery of the stolen fuel. 

Locals Talk About the Incident

The general store owner said that less than 30 minutes after investigators recorded their statement, they were contacted again and informed that two suspects had been located at the Aztec Motel nearby. The owner said the suspects managed to steal nearly $7,000 worth of fuel while paying only about $5 by tampering with the pump system.

Sebastian De Boorder, owner of the Aztec Motel, said the incident has slowed business and that he does not want it to give the town a bad reputation. He described the situation as an example of theft from local businesses during challenging times. He said that nothing like this had happened since he had been in business, emphasizing that the town is otherwise very pleasant.

In other news from Arizona, earlier this month, a federal judge halted the state’s case against Kalshi, one of a slew of similar cases all around the US regarding the regulation of prediction markets.