Miami man charged in fuel theft scheme using modified vehicle, MDSO says
A Miami man faces multiple charges in an elaborate fuel theft scheme involving a modified vehicle, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office.
Orlando Pardo Ortega, 56, used a truck retrofitted with high-capacity fuel bladders to steal hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel from gas stations, which was then resold to commercial trucking operations at below-market rates, according to the arrest report.
Organized fuel theft operation
MDSO said that on April 25, a detective observed Ortega driving a 2017 white Ram 5500 with an obvious fuel bladder in the truck bed at a Wawa gas station located in the 3300 block of NW 87th Ave. in Doral. The vehicle was seen making two contactless payments via cell phone to pump 110.75 gallons of diesel fuel, exceeding the truck's standard 52-gallon tank capacity.
The detective followed Ortega to another Wawa in the 7800 block of West Flagler Street, where he conducted two additional transactions totaling $340.14 for diesel fuel, bringing the total to 218.08 gallons, according to the arrest report.
A Wawa senior asset protection advisor confirmed that Ortega used the same credit card, linked to a Hong Kong bank, for purchases totaling $2,689 across multiple Wawa locations.
Multiple failed credit card transactions
On May 13, Ortega attempted 12 transactions at a RaceTrac located in the 12800 block of SW 152nd Street, all of which were declined, using six different credit cards from various U.S. financial institutions, according to the report.
Ortega was taken into custody without incident on June 25 and transported to the MDSO Kendall Station, where he waived his Miranda rights and provided a statement to detectives, the report states.
He faces charges of organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, retail fuel theft with a modified vehicle and fraudulent use of a credit card for $100 or more, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office.
