In an ironic twist, the authorities caught three alleged fuel thieves in Central Washington after their truck, which reportedly had multiple stolen items, ran out of gas.
George, Washington (intentionally named after the former President), is an unincorporated town in Grant County. Its 1.3 square miles are home to just over 800 people. On the morning of January 30, multiple items went missing from a local farm, and the authorities were notified about the purported theft. They learned that someone nearby saw a pickup truck drive by that looked like it came from the farm, and they wrote down the license plate number before it was out of sight.
Deputies from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office collected the information, and they were later informed that the farm was missing 100 gallons of diesel gasoline and several car batteries. They began searching the surrounding area for a vehicle matching the description of the pickup truck. Around 7:15 AM, about 2 miles from the farm, three people in a truck stopped in a residential driveway when the vehicle ran out of gas. They asked for help from the man at the home, and he quickly recognized the truck had the same license plate number and appearance as the one seen near the farm. The homeowner called the authorities, and the deputies headed to his property.
The suspects were identified as two men and a woman who reside in the nearby town of Quincy. According to reports, multiple items were seen in the truck bed, including batteries, containers holding what was believed to be fuel and a pump. All three suspects were booked into the Grant County Jail. They are each facing preliminary charges of third-degree theft and second-degree trespassing.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a theft offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.