Lucknow: The arrest of four men for running an organised fuel theft syndicate by the Lucknow crime branch has uncovered a racket that allegedly used GPS manipulation, electronic lock-bypassing devices and even thermal expansion to steal fuel from tankers.The gang allegedly siphoned petrol and diesel from tankers transporting fuel from the HPCL Amausi terminal, adulterated it with solvents and sold it through a black-market network before the vehicles resumed their scheduled deliveries.Acting on intelligence inputs, crime branch teams raided a site near the Sanyasi Bagh flyover in Malihabad and intercepted a fuel tanker and another vehicle suspected of aiding the operation.A joint inspection with the excise department led to the recovery of 7,750 litres of petrol, 4,000 litres of diesel, 1,150 litres of adulterated petrol, 3,200 litres of solvent, and nearly 250 litres of concealed petrol. Police also seized master keys, dip rods, pipes, funnels and measuring equipment.According to ADCP (crime) Kiran Yadav, tanker drivers allegedly cut power to GPS units located near the clutch assembly. With the tracker frozen at one location, the tanker could be diverted to extraction points where fuel was siphoned off. Once the theft was completed, the GPS was reconnected, making it appear the vehicle had never moved.Investigators also discovered how the gang allegedly bypassed the Sterna Plus electronic locking system fitted on fuel tankers. Police said the accused procured a specialised master key online from the United States. The device allegedly disabled the lock’s sensor, allowing compartments to be opened without triggering OTP alerts or creating records in security logs. After the theft, the system was reset, leaving little evidence of tampering.The probe revealed a parallel fuel distribution network targeting rural customers. Stolen fuel, mixed with solvents, was allegedly sold at discounted rates to farmers for tractors, tube wells and other agricultural equipment.Investigators further found that the syndicate exploited thermal expansion by removing fuel during cooler night hours.Perhaps the most alarming find was an illegal fuel depot operating from the basement of a residential building where the accused and their families lived upstairs. Large quantities of petrol, diesel and other inflammable materials were allegedly stored there, creating what police termed a “time bomb” in a densely populated area.Yadav said the findings would be shared with oil marketing companies and regulatory authorities to plug security gaps in fuel transportation systems.
