Public Safety
Four arrested after Ventura County diesel-theft investigation
Sheriff's detectives arrested four Los Angeles County men after linking suspected fuel thefts from commercial trucks in Oxnard, Camarillo and Thousand Oaks.
The Ventura County Sheriff's Office said four men were arrested October 13 after detectives saw diesel being siphoned from a Freightliner truck at a Thousand Oaks business, according to an NBC Los Angeles report by Elizabeth Chavolla.
The investigation began September 18, when a driver reported about 70 gallons of diesel missing from a semi-truck at a storage yard in unincorporated Oxnard. Investigators used surveillance video and automated license-plate-reader information to identify two vehicles and connect the case to four additional suspected thefts dating to August in Camarillo and Thousand Oaks, the report said.
Area: Oxnard, Camarillo and Thousand Oaks
Reported loss: About 385 gallons of diesel across five incidents
Status: Four people booked on suspicion of conspiracy to commit theft; additional charges may be considered
What investigators reported
Detectives said one vehicle acted as a lookout while people in a white Ford van used pumping equipment to remove fuel. A search of the van found two tanks with a capacity of 1,200 gallons each, according to the report.
The men were booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility. An arrest or booking is not a finding of guilt, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
Original local report: NBC Los Angeles — October 14, 2026 →