Four men have been arrested and are facing organized crime charges after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of diesel fuel from gas stations in Peoria and New River.

Charges have been brought against Heykel Lugo (40), Carlos Ochoa (24), Luis Lavendero-Perez (38), and Silvio Machado (41) in relation to the theft of diesel fuel.

Court documents report that two individuals went to a Shell station near Lake Pleasant on the 24th of October. The Peoria police explain that Lavendero-Perez was operating a Ford F-350 outfitted with fuel tanks in the truck bed, while Machado was operating a semi-truck. According to the documents, the suspects cut off a lock to a diesel fuel pump and changed the calibrating system to reduce the price per gallon of diesel fuel. Lavendero-Perez allegedly used his credit card to pump 562 gallons of diesel for $42.20 instead of the original $2,062.78.

On the following day, the pair supposedly went back to the same gas station and filled up with 620 gallons of diesel for a mere $29.29, which was drastically lower than the expected cost of $2,277.87. This, combined with the prior day’s pilfering, left the station with a total loss of $4,340.65.

Court documents indicated that Lavendero-Perez and Machado had committed similar crimes in the past at a Shell station close to Interstate 17 in New River. The documents suggested that on October 21, the men filled 614 gallons of diesel for the price of $1.01, which was much lower than the actual cost of $2,258.89. It was further stated that the duo returned on October 23 and pumped 661 gallons of diesel for $1.01, while the true amount owed was $2,431.81. On October 24, the men filled 519 gallons of diesel for $1.01, which should have cost them $1,909.39.

The total amount spent on fuel from the New River and Shell in Peoria locations combined was $10,940.74.

Following up on their arrests, officers discovered that Lavendero-Perez and Ochoa had been detained in Colorado during late August for reportedly stealing diesel fuel with illicit credit cards. After obtaining a warrant, the cops observed the F-350 as it went to different gas stations in the Valley on the 8th of November. Witnesses noted the pair trying to break into other pumps, but they were unsuccessful in bypassing the locks. Additionally, Machado was spotted driving an older Ford F-250 with big fuel tanks in the bed.

On Tuesday, Nov. 28, police tracked a Ford F-350 to a truck stop at 40th Street and I-10 and saw suspect Ochoa attempt to use six different credit cards at the diesel pumps – none of which worked. When speaking with the manager, they were shown video footage of an older Ford F-250 arriving at a pump where the occupants were looking for something. Afterwards, a credit card skimmer was discovered at the same pump.

The day after similar attempts were seen near 67th Avenue and I-10, law enforcement tracked the truck back to Machado’s house, where the F-250 and semi-truck were also located. After following it back to the 67th Avenue truck stop, the officers believed the suspects were attempting to use a skimmer and stopped them. Lavendero-Perez, Ochoa, Machado and Lugo were all arrested.

Upon inspection of the F-350, law enforcement personnel discovered several credit cards with manually written numbers on their magnetic strips. During a subsequent search of the semi-truck, officers allegedly recovered a computer as well as materials used to manufacture credit card skimmers.

Charges of burglary have been leveled against Machado and Lavendero-Perez, and they are also accused of funding a criminal organization. Lugo and Ochoa were arrested for aiding a criminal syndicate.