A crew of four Florida men was caught ripping off gas stations for pennies on the gallon after hacking the gas pumps.
The men installed “pulsators” inside gas pumps to change prices and regulate fuel flow, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The pulsators saw the price of a gallon of gas fall to mere pennies, leading the crew to fill up their vehicles at little to no real cost, according to a report.
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The group supposedly hit two Circle K stations with the scheme, officials said. Two of the suspects, Rogelio Llerena and Yulier Garcia-Martinez, were caught March 12 at a Lakeland station, police said.
Yordian Diaz-Benitez, another subject, was apprehended March 10 in Lutz, and the final suspect, Marlon Rosel-Rodriguez, was detained March 12 at the Lutz station.
The rising cost of gas under President Joe Biden’s administration is seen as an opportunity for fraudsters, Florida Department of Agriculture President Ned Bowman said.
“These are criminal rings,” Bowman said. “I think you are going to see this expand.”
Gas prices in Florida are averaging around $5 per gallon, the report noted.
“It’s a big deal,” Bowman added, and local authorities are warning gas station owners to keep a close eye on their pumps.
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“With gas prices hitting record highs, fuel theft can further drive up costs for all consumers,” FDACS Commissioner Nikki Fried said.
