Seven arrests

Diesel thieves siphoned off more than 300,000 liters

They apparently always filled up at the same filling station.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

An incredible case of fuel theft has now been uncovered in the Tyrolean lowlands: seven truck drivers are said to have siphoned off diesel on a grand scale over a period of years. We are talking about several hundred thousand liters - at the expense of the company where they were employed. The company suffered a loss of almost half a million euros.

The criminal activities apparently went unnoticed for years - it was not until mid-October that the transport company based in Tyrol filed a complaint with the police. Then the enormous scale of the crime became apparent - it was fuel theft on a grand scale.

In total, more than 300,000 liters of diesel were stolen.

Ein Ermittler zur „Krone“

Acts dating back to 2021
Specifically, truck drivers from the company in question are alleged to have stolen or siphoned off huge quantities of diesel from a filling station in the district of Kufstein since 2021 (!) when refueling their vans. At the expense of the company they worked for. "It's more than 300,000 liters in total," an investigator said in response to a Krone inquiry.

Seven arrests during the operation
In the course of extensive investigations, the police were ultimately able to track down seven suspects. The six Romanians, aged between 26 and 55, and a 56-year-old Hungarian were arrested in a targeted operation.

The seven suspects were arrested.

(Bild: Uta Rojsek-Wiedergut, Symbolbild)

Half a million euros in damage
What did the suspects do? "The truck drivers paid for the fuel with their company's fuel cards, but filled some of the diesel into other vehicles or canisters," said the investigator. Diesel pumps and hoses were also seized in the course of the operation.

The company suffered enormous damage. We are talking about almost half a million euros. The suspects have since been released. Corresponding charges and investigations will follow.