POMONA >> Two men were caught stealing hundreds of gallons of gasoline using two altered commuter vans and an unauthorized credit card, Pomona police said Friday.
Jose A. Quintanilla, 30, of San Pedro and Samuel Virgenogerman, 35, of Long Beach were arrested on suspicion of grand theft and unauthorized use of a credit card early Friday morning at the Food 4 Less fuel center at 2090 S. Garey Ave., police said in a news release.
Officers were called to the gas station for possible fuel theft, officials said. When they arrived, they initially discovered the men, later identified as Quintanilla and Virgenogerman, were using a credit card to purchase the large amount of fuel without permission from the credit card holder, according to police.
As they further investigated the theft, officers found the vans had been converted to hold 1,000 gallons of fuel each inside a hidden compartment.
“Seats were placed atop the interior floor-mounted gas tanks to conceal them,” the release said. “This was a very elaborate gas collection and transport system.”
Officers discovered the men were able to collect 350 gallons of gasoline in the time they were at the Pomona gas station, the statement said.
The men were arrested and their vehicles impounded, officials said.
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