WINDSOR — Maine State Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying two men who appear to be siphoning fuel after hours from Moody’s Electric, a fuel supplier on Route 17 near the Route 32 intersection.
Trooper Kyle Pelletier said the thefts occurred four to five times between May 13 and 23, and the images came from a motion-detecting “Stealth” camera business owner Jon Moody set up after the first theft. The device is typically used to get nighttime photos of game such as deer.
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In all, about 100 gallons of regular unleaded fuel was stolen from an above-ground tank, Pelletier said.
The business deals with both diesel and regular fuel, and Moody does automotive electric repairs.
The thefts are being investigated by Pelletier and Trooper James MacDonald. They can be reached by calling 624-7076.
Based on the photos, the thieves appear to be two while men, between the ages of 25 and 30, and Pelletier and Moody said today they appear to be the same men each time. They are wearing hooded sweatshirts.
The first theft occurred over the weekend, and Moody said he was alerted by a delivery driver who told him he found the caps open on the tanks.
Moody said state police recommended he buy the game camera, and he spent about $150 on a low-light camera and batteries at Dick’s Sporting Goods.
“At that point, I locked the gate and put locks on top of the tanks,” Moody said. “Within a few days, the locks had had been cut off and they had replaced them with their own locks.”
Moody said he learned that after viewing the footage on the camera. However, the camera had caught only the backs of the thieves.
He left their locks and repositioned the camera.
“The next time they were in, I got some good face pictures,” he said. “Then I cut off their locks, put on a different ones recommended by the police.”
He also found they had gained access by cutting a hole in the back fence.
“I’ve had those above-ground tanks for over 20 years, and this is the first time we had any problems,” Moody said. “A hundred gallons at $3.50 or $4 a gallon, that’s not pocket change.”
Moody took ownership of the business from his father 15 years ago. It’s been family-operated since the 1920s.
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