Farms fight rash of diesel thefts

On the night of Aug. 5, someone cut a lock, opened a gate and proceeded to steal 1,900 gallons of diesel fuel from a citrus grove in Duette. The theft cost the owner of the Venus II grove about $9,000.

It was the third time in recent months that thieves siphoned diesel from holding tanks at the farm, which lost a total of $15,000 worth of fuel.

Authorities say the high price of diesel, which has jumped by about 70 percent over the past year, is one factor driving an increase in the number of diesel thefts from farms, groves and construction sites across Southwest Florida. Sheriff's deputies in Manatee and Sarasota counties have investigated nearly 20 reported incidents of diesel theft since April.

Diesel is an attractive target not only because of its high price, but also because the fuel is often stored in bulk in highly accessible and remote areas like farms and construction sites.

Construction equipment left unattended at night at work sites often hold hundreds of gallons of diesel, and most farms and citrus groves place 1,000-gallon diesel tanks throughout their properties for convenient equipment fueling.

The thefts have stung construction companies but have put a bigger hurt on farmers who have to pay high prices to replace the stolen fuel.

In response, farmers are trying new security methods and sheriff's offices are increasing patrols and trying to track down the buyers of the stolen fuel.

"Whenever there is a demand for something, people want it cheaper -- cheaper as in stolen, in this case," said Dave Bristow, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office's public information officer.

The thieves are adept at locating and siphoning from the diesel tanks, which are scattered throughout several acres in most cases. They also know how and where to resell the fuel while staying under the radar, authorities said.

In each case, thieves are escaping with anywhere from 200 to 2,500 gallons of diesel and costing the owners thousands of dollars for the fuel and added security.

The owner of the Venus II grove, which has been struck repeatedly, said he is researching a tank device that would block a siphon. However, its installation could be expensive, and the owner said he is unsure of its effectiveness.

"We are thinking of going back to electric motors because we can't sustain these losses for so long," said the owner, who did not want to be named.

Last month, thieves stole about 2,000 gallons of diesel and 500 gallons of gas worth a total of about $11,000 from nearby Heart Groves farm, located off State Road 62 in Duette, said grove manager Morrell Trammel.

"That's a big hit for anybody, any business," Trammel said.

The thieves, he said, siphoned from five 1,000-gallon diesel tanks across the property.

"Whoever it is, they seem to have the knowledge of where these tanks are for some reason or another," Trammel said.

Heart Groves is now locking its gates around the clock to prevent scouts from entering. The farm is also investing in heavy-duty locks and motion-detecting lights, and asking employees to check for suspicious activity at night, Trammel said.

"Any kind of lock you put on there, they find a way to get it off," Trammel said. "We beefed up our security the best we can."

Equipment and fuel tanks at construction sites are another target.

On July 21, about 530 gallons of diesel were removed from four pieces of construction equipment owned by a Palmetto company that was doing work on Deer Run off Fruitville Road in Sarasota, according to a Sarasota County Sheriff's Office report.

The company, Gigliotti Construction, lost about $2,250 worth of fuel in the theft, the report said.

The fuel thieves are difficult to catch, authorities said.

"They are going to be making a lot of money, and the person who's buying the diesel is getting it at a discounted rate," Bristow said. "They won't say anything."

In April, Manatee County sheriff's deputies arrested a Tampa man on charges of prowling and trespassing at a farm in the 21000 block of State Road 62. The deputies were working a sting targeting fuel thieves.

Deputies found a vehicle carrying two empty 250-gallon tanks along with a gas-powered pump and a hose, according to a report.

The thieves are most likely selling the fuel to truckers and construction workers at a reduced price, Bristow said. He said the thieves and their beneficiaries can give lower bids on jobs with stolen fuel.

"It's obviously not fair. Honest people might be getting ripped off that way, too, as an indirect result of diesel thefts," Bristow said. "This is obviously hurting these farmers and construction companies."

The price of diesel is slowly falling, which may slow the thefts, he said.

Average retail diesel prices on the Gulf Coast jumped in late May and again in mid-July to a high of about $4.75 a gallon, but are now around $4.30 and decreasing by an average of 1 cent a week, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration records.