Wendell police seize van suspected in gas thefts
Police have seized a cargo van that they suspect was used to steal fuel from at least two Wendell gas stations last month, according to a search warrant released Thursday.
Posted — UpdatedDuring a daily audit on Nov. 15, the manager of the Wendell Mart, at 2901 Wendell Blvd., noticed that she was short 338 gallons of diesel fuel. A check of the station's security video showed a white van was parked for about 40 minutes late on Nov. 13 in the area where the station's underground fuel tanks are located, the search warrant states.
An officer spotted a similar-looking van at a Sheetz station in Wendell in the early hours of Nov. 21, but he couldn't find the driver. When he looked through the windows, he saw a large tank in the back and a hold cut into the van's floor, according to the search warrant.
Security video from the Sheetz showed the driver running off as the officer examined the van, the search warrant states.
Investigators seized two gas nozzles, a siphoning tube, tools and gloves in a search of the van, according to the search warrant.
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