Fuel thieves target construction sites

By Amy Lester, NEWS 9

Police are investigating recent fuel thefts from construction sites as the price of gas continues to increase.

This weekend a thieve emptied a 4,000 gallon water truck and filled it with 2,500 gallons of diesel fuel and drove away from a construction site operated by United General Contractors.

"They're just too lazy to work that they go steal off somebody else," said Dennis Haxton with United General Contractors. "It's a big loss; it's a pretty big loss really."

Between the truck and the fuel, the company lost about $75,000.

At a Knox Construction site about 20 miles away, thieves took 3,000 gallons of fuel.

"They had to have something of decent size to get it all in there," said Jim Know with Knox Construction. "It's very disappointing, makes you wonder about society."

Investigators said they are trying to determine if the same thieves targeted both companies, said Kelly Marshall with Oklahoma County sheriff's office.

"We would assume there is some type of connection," Marshall said.

The sheriff's office and the Edmond Police Department are on the lookout for the culprits. 

"We've stepped up our patrols of construction sites in our jurisdiction and hopefully we can come across the suspects," Marshall said.