“They go in and they change the pulsator. The pulsator is the device that is inside the gas pump that regulates the flow of the fuel,” Ned Bowman, president of the Florida Petroleum Marketers Association, said, according to WFLA. “So they’re able to change the price of the fuel down to a nickel or a penny to the gallon and fill the back of their trucks up – their bladders or spare tanks – with fuel that’s basically free.”

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services made the arrests on Wednesday. Commissioner Nikki Fried said she would not stand for crimes of this kind.

“Anytime that we’re seeing a theft like this, or actual fraud, we have zero tolerance,” the commissioner said, WFLA reports. “And we’re going to come in and it’s a very clear symbol to anyone that may be thinking of doing something like this – we’re going to catch you.”

The cunning swindlers allegedly committed the crime at two different Circle K stations in Lakeland and Lutz, according to the New York Post.

“These are criminal rings,” Bowman said to The Post. “I think you are going to see this expand.”

Bowman said the suspects would locate the compromised pumps and drive up with large trucks that carry oversize tanks and pump the low-cost fuel before reselling it.

Law enforcement agencies advise station owners to observe trucks stopped at pumps for unusually long periods. Concerned station owners should check their inventory outflow and income to detect tampered gas pumps.

“With gas prices hitting record highs, fuel theft can further drive up costs for all consumers,” Fried said, the Post reports.

Gas-theft

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