$113,000 gasoline theft investigation results in arrest over stolen playing cards – NBC Los Angeles

A Murrieta man was arrested in reference to an investigation into gasoline thefts involving fraudulent bank card prices made in opposition to a Ventura County enterprise, authorities stated Thursday.

Tigran Gabrielian, 61, was taken into custody at a gasoline station in Newbury Park after detectives linked him to fraudulent gasoline purchases made utilizing stolen bank card data, in line with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Workplace.

The investigation started Oct. 17, when deputies responded to a reported knowledge breach at Poole Industrial Fuels, positioned on Winery Avenue close to North Patterson Street in an unincorporated space of Oxnard.

Firm representatives reported greater than $113,000 in unauthorized prices to their accounts. Detectives decided that a number of fraudulent gasoline purchases occurred at gasoline stations all through Ventura County.

Investigators found that suspects had been utilizing a number of stolen bank cards to buy as a lot as $2,500 value of gasoline in a single go to. Authorities suspected the automobiles concerned had been modified to move giant portions of gasoline.

Detectives recognized the suspect automobiles by reviewing surveillance footage from native gasoline stations and knowledge from the Sheriff’s Workplace’s Flock automated license plate reader system.

On Nov. 4, stolen bank card data was used once more at a gasoline station in Newbury Park, the place a suspect bought roughly $900 value of gasoline earlier than fleeing the scene.

Detectives later positioned the suspect’s automobile at one other gasoline station, the place they detained Gabrielian.

Throughout a search following his arrest, investigators discovered a number of clean bank cards in Gabrielian’s possession. Every card had a sticky be aware hooked up with an expiration date and private identification quantity, or PIN. Authorities additionally seized a considerable amount of money as proof.

A search of the truck Gabrielian was driving uncovered extra proof of the suspected gasoline theft operation.

Though the truck gave the impression to be an unusual utility work automobile, detectives found hid gasoline tanks and enormous gasoline bladders inside. The automobile was additionally geared up with a pumping system, together with a meting out deal with and meter, that allowed gasoline to be transferred and measured.

The truck was seized as proof.

Gabrielian was booked on 9 counts involving id theft and grand theft.

The investigation stays ongoing, and detectives consider extra suspects could also be concerned.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Workplace is asking anybody with details about the thefts to contact authorities.