SPRING HILL, Fla. – A Tampa man has been arrested in Hernando County after allegedly devising an elaborate scheme to steal gasoline from a Spring Hill gas station.
22-year-old Ruben Dario was taken into custody on Thursday night following a brief pursuit that ended near the Hernando County landfill.
The incident began around 9:52 PM when the manager of a RaceTrac gas station on Cortez Boulevard in Spring Hill reported a possible fuel theft in progress. The manager noticed a significant fuel loss alert from the station’s monitoring system and observed a silver van parked suspiciously over the area where fuel tankers replenish the station’s underground reservoir.
READ: Polk City Man Arrested After Attempting To Thwart Vehicle Repossession
Although the suspect fled the scene before deputies arrived, the manager provided a description of the van and its license plate number. Deputies located the vehicle and, with assistance from the Florida Highway Patrol, conducted a traffic stop near the closed Hernando County landfill.
Upon approaching the van, deputies noticed a strong odor of gasoline and observed that the rear windows were spray-painted black. Inside the van, they found large drums equipped with hoses and electric pumps, along with a hole cut into the floorboard, allowing access to the ground without exiting the vehicle.
READ: Kentucky Felon Gets 20-Years For Attempted Murder And Firearm Possession In Florida
Dario was arrested and charged with:
- Retail fuel theft
- Unlawful conveyance of fuel
- Operating a motor vehicle without a valid license
- Reckless driving
He was transported to the Hernando County Detention Center, where his bond was set at $11,000.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.