Thieves Steal Gas With Stolen Sweetbay/Hannaford Customer Credit Cards

With gas prices floating over $4 a gallon and diesel approaching $5 a gallon, fuel is a valuable commodity that is attracting thieves along the East Coast.

The arrest of five Florida men who drove pickup trucks with hidden gas tanks that could hold up to 1,000 gallons of fuel brought to light a disturbing trend – the use of stolen credit card numbers to purchase excessive quantities of fuel at gas stations in several states. Murphy Oil, which runs Wal-Mart gas stations, reported losses of $1 million in one month as a result of similar gas thefts.

New cases involving the 4.2 million stolen credit and debit card numbers from the recent Hannaford/Sweetbay breach are being investigated as the crooks continue to try to convert the stolen numbers to cash.

If you used a credit or debit card at Sweetbay or Hannaford stores between Dec. 7 and March 10, keep a close eye on your bank or credit card statements and immediately challenge any purchases that are not yours.