SELIGMAN, AZ (AZFamily) — The Historic General Store in Seligman sees customers from all over the world, many stopping to get gas. But last week, investigators said three men stole about 2,100 gallons of diesel — roughly 1,400 gallons from the general store and the rest from the Chevron across the street.
Franceen Wagy, who works at the store, said she came in Friday morning to the news of the stolen fuel.
“The alarms were going off cause they ran the tanks completely empty,” Wagy said.
Wagy said it was disappointing but not surprising. She said the store is less than a minute from Interstate 40, and it has had gas stolen before, about four years ago.
During the investigation, a deputy located a U-Haul truck matching the description of one suspected vehicle. Investigators believe a third suspect was also involved, possibly driving a newer-model black Ford F-650 flatbed truck.
The deputy noticed diesel fuel leaking from the cargo area onto the street, then found shoeprints leading from the spill directly to a nearby hotel room.
The owner of the general store said less than 30 minutes after investigators took their statement, they called to say they had found two suspects at the Aztec Motel down the street.
“I soundly think that they would just go down a mile down the road and go sleep in the hotel,” Wagy said. “Like that’s kind of dumb, especially when your truck is leaking gas all over the ground.”
Deputies entered the hotel room and arrested 37-year-old Dachel Roberto Michel Campos and 23-year-old Jesus Daniel Rodriguez Yordy, both of Las Vegas.
A search of the room revealed a credit card skimmer, receipts for tools investigators say were used in the burglaries, multiple credit cards belonging to people not involved in the thefts, and keys to the suspects’ U-Haul.
A search of the U-Haul found a makeshift transport system with seven containers holding about 2,100 gallons of stolen diesel. Authorities said the fuel was returned to the stations.
The owner of the general store said the suspects stole almost $7,000 worth of fuel for about $5 by hacking the pump system. Wagy said the irony is the suspects’ U-Haul was out of gas.
“You just stole a bunch of diesel and your own vehicle doesn’t…how are you going to get away like smarts weren’t there for the whole thing,” she said.
Sebastian De Boorder, the owner of the Aztec Motel, said the incident slowed down business and he does not want it to give the town a bad name.
“Stealing from local businesses during these troubling times,” De Boorder said. “Well, we never had this happen since we were in business, so our town is very lovely.”
Anyone with information about the crimes, the third suspect or the Ford truck is urged to contact YCSO at 928-771-3260. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Yavapai Silent Witness at 1-800-932-3232.
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