Detectives in Southern California arrested 61-year-old Tigran Gabrielian after discovering a hidden fuel pump and storage system inside his utility truck during a theft investigation. The arrest took place at a gas station located in the 2000 block of Borchard Road in the Newbury Park area. Authorities from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department took Gabrielian into custody as part of a probe into a major fuel theft operation.
As reported by the NY Post, this case started when detectives learned about a data breach affecting an Oxnard company. Investigators confirmed that criminals had used stolen credit cards to rack up $113,000 in fraudulent charges.
These purchases involved massive amounts of fuel bought at various locations throughout the county. Once detectives started talking to local gas stations, they began identifying potential suspects. They realized quickly that the people involved had to be using modified vehicles to haul such high volumes of gas.
The officers also recovered multiple bank credit cards
The investigation reached a turning point on November 4, 2026. The sheriff’s office stated, “On November 4, 2026, Headquarters Detectives received information that the suspects were again using stolen credit card information at gas stations in the Newbury Park area.” When the team arrived at the initial scene, they found that Gabrielian had already stolen about $900 worth of fuel and driven away.
Detectives did not lose the trail for long because they used Automated License Plate Readers to track his movements. They located him at a second gas station where he was in the process of buying another $800 worth of fuel…