Organized Theft Ring Arrest

 On December 29th, EPD Financial Crimes Unit Detectives began investigating several incidents of credit card fraud that totaled over $8,000. The first incident occurred back in October. Employees with a local gas station reported to the detectives that at least 3 different suspects came 42 times using stolen credit cards to pump large amounts of diesel fuel. The suspects were driving different Ford F-350 style trucks. 

On January 1st, around 6:45 p.m., one of the gas station employees called 911 to report that one of the suspect Ford F-350 trucks had returned to the gas station. The vehicle matched the truck that had been to the gas station on a prior date, which the gas station had on surveillance video. EPD Officers arrived on scene while the suspect, later identified as Lazaro Oulego Gonzalez, was still pumping gas into the truck. Gonzalez, who is not a local resident, was also on surveillance video at the gas station from a prior date. 

Officers detained Gonzalez and brought him to EPD Headquarters to speak with detectives. Gonzalez claimed that he found a gift card and that is what he used to purchase fuel. The truck did not belong to Gonzalez but he could not tell the detectives who it did belong to. The gift card actually contained information that belonged to a Visa cardholder, who did not give permission to have the Visa card used. Gonzalez was arrested and transported to the Vanderburgh County Confinement Center and charged with four Felony charges; Theft, Forgery, Fraud, and Conspiracy. 

Officers/detectives found a large bladder hidden under the toolbox in the bed of the truck that Gonzalez was driving. The bladder could potentially hold hundreds of gallons of gasoline. The truck had been making daily trips from one large city to another large  city, back and forth, over the past month. 

Detectives determined that this crime pattern described is consistent with non-local organized groups of criminals who plant skimming devices on gas pumps, which electronically steal credit card information from unknowing victims. The credit card information is then electronically transferred to blank cards, such as a gift card. The cards are then used purchase thousands of dollars’ worth of diesel fuel. The fuel is then transported to another city to sell it. 

This is a large operation undertaken by these suspects, costing countless of numbers of victims and businesses across the United States millions of dollars. At this time, Gonzalez is the only suspect who has been arrested in Vanderburgh County for this organized crime ring, although there are other suspects who were involved. If you have any information regarding any other suspects involved in this theft ring, please contact the EPD Financial Crimes Unit at (812) 436-7959. If you have been a victim of credit card fraud, please make sure to report the incident to your local police.