KNDO/KNDU Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA | Man Arrested in Tri-Cities After Stealing More Than $100,000 in Gas Money

Man Arrested in Tri-Cities After Stealing More Than $100,000 in Gas Money

KENNEWICK, Wash.-- The Co-Owner at Martinez Trucking calls it a lesson learned.

"He came in, must have been in the middle of the night, and broke into a truck, actually it was two trucks, and stole fuel cards," said Zenaido Martinez.

Behind the crime is 29-year-old Jason Charles Taylor of College Place. Police say he didn't stop there.

"He then rented a big trailer with a tanker on the back and then he would go to the Pacific Pride and just use these gas cards just swiping them, it would do 250 gallons per swipe," said Sergeant Ken Lattin, with the Kennewick Police Department.

Fuel he then tried selling to other businesses. Taylor stole from trucking companies in Kennewick, Pasco and Walla Walla, and some he used to work for.

He now faces two counts of theft in the first degree.

"It looks like some of the gas cards he stole, and at least one of the gas cards he got while he legitimately work for the company," said Lattin.

Police say Taylor also bought a truck at Clearwater Auto Plaza, but the check never cleared. Martinez says his company is taking action to keep this from happening again.

"We've gone to a different system where there's limits on car logs, there's no pin numbers anymore, to where anyone can use that fuel card and use it," said Martinez.