Estonian, Latvian caught stealing oil

  • 2009-03-06
  • TBT Staff in cooperation with BNS
TVER - Police in Russia's Tver region have detained two people suspected of siphoning oil out of a pipeline and into a tank truck, local police told Interfax news agency.

"Tver police spotted a truck with a large tank on the roadside at the 419th kilometer of the Baltic highway. Thetruck's driver was sleeping. A closer look revealed a 25-meter hose running under ground from the truck, attached to the oil pipeline through a professionally made hookup device," police spokespeople said.

Oil was being pumped from the pipeline right into thetruck's tank. The perpetrators managed to steal 30 tons of fuel.

An investigation has been started on the basis of charges of theft and the suspects face from 5-10 years in prison if convicted.