Authorities in Midland say as more oil workers flock to the area they’re seeing a rise in an unusual crime.
The Midland County Sheriff’s Office says hundreds of barrels of oil are being stolen from oil fields.
Officials say the thieves are using tanker trucks and pumping more than a thousand gallons of oil into them.
That’s causing oil companies to lose thousands of dollars.
“There’s more people moving into the area and we are getting more thieves,” said Midland County Sheriff Gary Painter. “It all reverts back to money whenever they go out and steal. They have to dispose of it. They’ve got a way to dispose of it or they wouldn’t be stealing it.
“That’s what we are running into. We are trying to find those thieves and the people that are doing the buying so we can put them in prison,” he said.
The Midland County Sheriff’s Office along with Midland Crime Stoppers is asking anyone with information to come forward.
They are offering a $3,500 cash reward to anyone with information.
(Information from YourBasin.com)