Adelaide man charged over $8,000 fuel theft spree using commercial vehicles

A 51-year-old Adelaide man has been charged with multiple counts of making off without payment after allegedly using commercial trucks to steal fuel across Adelaide's northern suburbs over a seven-month period.

South Australian Police were alerted to the suspected offender on Thursday morning when they responded to reports of a fuel drive-off at an Angle Vale service station at approximately 10:30am. Upon interviewing a man at the scene, officers identified a pattern of similar incidents spanning from October last year through to this month across three locations: Virginia, Lower Light and Angle Vale.

Commercial vehicles used in alleged thefts

Police allege the man used three vehicles to carry out the thefts: a Kenworth prime mover, an Isuzu truck, and a Holden sedan. Investigators say the vehicles were displaying unassigned number plates, suggesting deliberate attempts to avoid identification.

The alleged fuel drive-offs cost service stations more than $8,000 across the seven-month period, according to police estimates.

Officers executing a search warrant at the man's Lewiston home allegedly recovered all three vehicles involved in the suspected thefts.

Facing multiple charges

The man has been charged with:

• Multiple counts of making off without payment
• Various traffic offences

He was refused police bail and was scheduled to face the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Friday following his arrest.

Broader implications for service station security

The alleged incidents highlight ongoing concerns about fuel theft and drive-offs affecting service stations across South Australia. The use of commercial vehicles in this case is particularly notable, as it suggests the offender may have had access to such vehicles through employment or other means, enabling a sustained campaign of theft over several months.

The pattern of offences across multiple northern Adelaide locations indicates the incidents went undetected for some time before police linked them together through investigative work.

Originally reported by ABC News