Gas thief creeps into learning center, drains van serving students with disabilities
A brazen thief was caught on camera targeting a California learning center that serves individuals with intellectual disabilities – stealing gas from a transport van and disrupting routines for nearly 200 vulnerable students.
Staff at the Diamond Learning Center in Clovis say frustration is mounting after a suspect broke into a gated parking lot and siphoned fuel from one of their vans.
Surveillance video shows a man slipping into the lot around 5 p.m. Sunday and heading straight for the vehicle, carrying multiple gas containers and appearing prepared to take even more fuel than he ultimately got away with, KMPH reported.
"When we showed up, one of the vans had been broken into—oil all over the floor at first, that’s how we noticed," Isaac Jimenez, senior director at the center, told the outlet. "Gas cans were left behind, and someone had taken the gas."
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The suspect fled with a large red container, leaving behind two others, evidence, staff say, that the theft was planned.
Clovis Police confirmed to Fox News Digital that a report was taken early Monday morning for three separate misdemeanors, which included vehicle tampering, trespassing and theft.
Investigators say the suspect either climbed over or somehow got through a perimeter fence to access the gated lot. The stolen fuel was valued at roughly $40, and police noted there was minor damage to the vehicle.
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Despite the surveillance video, the case is currently suspended due to a lack of investigative leads, with officers saying the video quality is not clear enough to identify a suspect.
Officials say the theft would likely be classified as petty theft, with the value of the stolen fuel estimated at under $900.
While gas thefts remain relatively uncommon, police note they tend to increase when fuel prices rise.
Police described the incident as "disappointing," noting that any theft is a violation of property—especially when it involves breaking into a secured area.
For the school, the impact goes far beyond the cost of the gas.
The vans serve about 190 students, many of whom rely on strict daily routines. Staff say the theft forced them to reshuffle routes, delay pickups and scramble to notify parents – throwing off entire school days.
"It also throws off the student for the day," Jimenez said. "It’s hard to get them back, to refocus."
Jimenez had a blunt message for the suspect: don’t come back.
"You got away with it once—you’re not going to get away with it again," he said.
Police are investigating and urging anyone with information to come forward.
Officials also recommend drivers take precautions, including locking gas caps and parking in secure areas whenever possible.