Alexander Padilla, 40 years old, Nevada, has been convicted in Sixth District Court, Kane County, Utah, of second-degree felony theft and criminal mischief. According to court records, police found that in 2022, Padilla participated in the theft of about 1,500 gallons of diesel from multiple gas stations in the Kane County area, with further charges in the Richfield area. Upon this conviction, Padilla has been ruled guilty of the charges, and is awaiting sentencing in the Kane County Jail.
According to authorities, the defendant would pump diesel fuel directly into hidden tanks under the cab of this semi-truck. Photo Courtesy of Kane County Sheriff’s Office.
Per the court records, the defendant was exploiting a mechanical means to extract fuel from diesel pumps without triggering the pump meter that registers a sale, and would pull a diesel vehicle with multiple concealed tanks into gas stations during low activity hours to fill the tanks with the stolen fuel. Said vehicle is to be forfeited to the court following the conviction.
According to the court transcripts, authorities at the state level have taken an interest in the case, suspecting the defendant of being a part of a larger movement that has been siphoning fuel from stations in Utah and potentially beyond. Representatives of the Utah Department of Public Safety were present and testified in the trial, along with individuals from Richfield and other stations in Utah stated to have had fuel stolen by the group.
Along with other law enforcement agencies in the area, the Kane County Sheriff’s Office was credited with the investigation of the thefts. The Sheriff’s Office, along with the Kane County Attorney’s Office, offered some of the basic details of the case, but made no further statements beyond the Attorney’s Office concluding, “We likely will limit any official public statement until after sentencing.”
Multiple local business owners were affected by the theft, and it is evident some authorities believe these thefts to be part of a larger ring warranting further investigation and coordination with local law enforcement.
Padilla’s sentencing will occur in June.
