Five Arrested in Massive Texas Diesel Theft Scheme

Five people have been arrested in Texas after authorities alleged they were stealing diesel from gas pumps across North Texas and Smith County using stolen credit card information. Investigators said the law enforcement investigation prevented nearly $10 million in additional fraud losses.

How Investigators Uncovered the Diesel Theft Operation

According to KETK, the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center launched the investigation in April 2026. They had received a request for assistance from the Garland Police Department after receiving multiple reports of stolen fuel and card numbers.

Investigators determined the suspects had allegedly been placing skimming devices on high-flow diesel pumps around North Texas to steal payment information and use the data to steal fuel from fueling stations.

Thousands of Gallons of Diesel Were Allegedly Taken

It’s estimated that the group was stealing between 1,500 and 2,500 gallons of diesel per night by pumping the fuel into hidden compartments built into the vehicles they were driving. Law enforcement was able to confirm that they placed skimming devices on fuel pumps in Smith County.

Last week, the FCIC and multiple other law enforcement agencies and the Smith County District Attorney’s Office executed three search warrants in North Texas.

Get our free mobile app

What Authorities Found During the Searches

During the searches, authorities found numerous pieces of skimming-related equipment, including 10 skimmers and 50 altered payment cards. Authorities also found a laptop connected to a re-encoding device allegedly used to write stolen credit card numbers onto new cards.

The five suspects arrested for engaging in organized criminal activity were:

Jael Diaz Morejon
Adriana Castillo Oliveros
Noel Pena Rodriguez
Carlos Virgilio Lopez Coba
Betsy Santiesteban Lopez

The case will be prosecuted by the Smith County District Attorney’s Office.

12 Signs That You Could Be a Victim of Identity Theft

Identity theft can happen so quickly, and potentially take so long to resolve. Keep an eye out for these 12 warning signs and maybe you can limit the damage done to your credit and your life.

Gallery Credit: Cindy Campbell

Dude, Where's My Car? Ranking States for Auto Theft Growth

0-60 Specs has released its research of data gathered from the FBI Crime Report, which reveals America's fastest-growing states for Grand Theft Auto and vehicle theft-related crimes. Let's start with the state where your car will most likely disappear and work our way to the state with the least motor vehicle theft rates.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow