Tip from neighbor prompts probe into alleged fuel theft from City of El Paso fire vehicle<\/a><\/p>\nAccording to officials, surveillance videos were obtained that depicted Maldonado placing five-gallon fuel containers into various take-home vehicles he would utilize that were fully marked, with City of El Paso inscriptions indicating they were vehicles belonging to the El Paso Fire Department.<\/p>\n
The videos depicted Maldonado placing the fuel containers in a fire department vehicle, and upon returning to his home, he, his spouse, or their daughter would then dispense the fuel into their personal vehicles, officials said.<\/p>\n
When asked about how he was stealing the fuel and not getting caught, Maldonado said he would use his city-issued key fob and PIN to access the city fuel pump; then he would first fill up the gas can, and then in the same transaction, he would fill up his work vehicle, the document stated.<\/p>\n
The arrest affidavit stated Maldonado admitted to stealing the fuel approximately 7-8 times since February of 2026. <\/p>\n
El Paso Fire Chief Jonathan Duran told investigators that Maldonado had access to city fuel pumps through an employee key fob and personal identification number. Fuel records reviewed by investigators showed what they described as unusually high consumption, including 114 gallons used over 1,049 miles between July 10 and July 23 \u2014 about 9.2 miles per gallon.<\/p>\n
The affidavit says available city fuel-station surveillance footage documented Maldonado and the EPFD vehicle at fuel stations on two dates that matched the fuel records and the reported activity at his residence.<\/p>\n
Investigators estimated at least 40 gallons of fuel, valued at about $160, may have been taken, the document stated. <\/p>\n
Maldonado was arrested on Tuesday and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility with charges of theft and abuse of official capacity.<\/p>\n
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