Petrol station worker arrested over alleged theft of 4,000 litres of fuel in Phuket

A petrol station worker wanted over the alleged theft of about 4,000 litres of fuel from a Phuket delivery has been arrested in Bangkok, police said.

Officers from the Central Investigation Bureau, working with the Crime Suppression Division, arrested the suspect, identified only as Mr Panuwat, at a restaurant in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat district under a warrant issued by the Phuket Provincial Court on April 28 this year.

Police said he is accused of jointly committing theft using a vehicle to facilitate the crime, transport stolen property or evade arrest, as well as theft from an employer.

According to the CIB, the case stems from an incident on Oct 10 last year, when a petrol station in Phuket ordered 18,000 litres of fuel worth about B550,000. After the tanker completed the delivery, station staff checked the fuel tanks and gauges and found that about 4,000 litres were missing.

The shortage was estimated at about B110,000. Police said the station owner then launched an internal investigation.

Investigators alleged that Mr Panuwat, who was responsible for inspecting the station’s fuel tanks before deliveries, colluded with a fuel tanker driver to steal part of the shipment by exploiting weaknesses in the delivery process. Police also said they believe he may have been involved in similar thefts on multiple occasions, causing significant financial losses to the business.

After the station owner filed a complaint, police gathered evidence and obtained the Phuket court warrant. Crime Suppression Division investigators later traced the suspect to Bangkok, where they learned he had found work at a restaurant in Bang Phlat. Officers conducted surveillance before making the arrest.

Police said Mr Panuwat denied all charges during questioning. He was first taken to Bang Phlat Police Station following the arrest before legal proceedings to return him to Phuket.

The CIB urged businesses receiving fuel deliveries to check fuel quantities carefully before and after each delivery to help prevent similar theft and fraud cases.