According to Virginia Beach police, two suspected criminals unlawfully stole hundreds of dollars in fuel from a shuttered gas station overnight over multiple days while advertising reduced gas on social media.
Rashane Griffith, 24, and Devon Drumgoole, 21, both of Norfolk, were arrested on counts of grand larceny, conspiracy, and use of burglary tools by the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) on Thursday. According to authorities, further accusations may be filed as the inquiry proceeds.
Officers responded Tuesday to a complaint of questionable activities at a closed Citgo gas station in the 1400 block of North Great Neck Road. According to the agency, authorities spotted multiple vehicles and people gathering on the site, pumping gasoline.
During a preliminary inquiry, authorities discovered that devices were being used to unlawfully access petrol pumps.
Per the agency, people were then selling the petrol station at a reduced price using a phone application and had marketed the business on social media. According to authorities, thousands of dollars in fuel were stolen from the company over a period of many days.
The inquiry by the VBPD Detective Bureau is still ongoing, according to the police, and gas stations that are shut overnight should check security camera footage from the previous several weeks to guarantee they have not been victims.
“It is suggested that these establishments take further safeguards to ensure that this does not occur again,” the Virginia Beach Police Department stated in a statement.
When national average petrol prices topped $5 per gallon, the arrests occurred. According to the American Automobile Association, the average cost of a gallon of gasoline fell just below $5 for the second consecutive day on Sunday (AAA).
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