HUMBOLDT, Arizona — Yavapai Sheriff arrested two men, ages 36 and 42, on March 29, 2025, after they allegedly stole hundreds of gallons of gasoline in Humboldt. A Volunteer In Protection (VIP) spotted two suspicious vehicles on Main Street, matching descriptions from recent fuel thefts in the area, and alerted deputies. The suspects fled before deputies arrived, but one was later stopped on Highway 69 in a white Dodge flatbed pickup, which contained a pump, hose, and a hollowed-out flatbed for storing fuel. The second vehicle, a black Cadillac Escalade, was also stopped, revealing several 55-gallon drums smelling of gasoline.
The men were charged with felony theft and criminal damage, with Yavapai Sheriff estimating they stole thousands of dollars’ worth of gasoline from gas stations across the county. Detectives believe the pair, using a homemade siphoning device, have been involved in fuel thefts across multiple states since at least 2019. Fuel theft has surged nationally—up 20% since 2020, per the U.S. Energy Information Administration—often driven by rising gas prices. Humboldt, a small town near Prescott with about 3,000 residents, has felt this impact, as gas stations remain vulnerable targets due to limited security.
Yavapai Sheriff highlighted the crucial role of its VIP program in the arrests, with volunteers aiding in everything from patrols to search and rescue across the county’s 8,100 square miles. This reliance on volunteers, while a testament to community support, also points to the challenges of policing rural areas with limited resources, a broader issue in Arizona’s expansive counties.
