Stealing up to a ton of fuel at a time: Ukrzaliznytsia employees exposed in Poltava region
Kyiv • UNN
Employees of the regional branch of Ukrzaliznytsia in Poltava region, including train drivers, drivers and assistant drivers, were caught stealing diesel fuel worth UAH 500,000 from locomotives using a carefully thought-out scheme.
In Poltava region, employees of one of the regional branches of Ukrzaliznytsia were caught stealing fuel from locomotives worth half a million hryvnias. The defendants include a train assembler, drivers, and assistant drivers. This was reported by the press service of the National Police, UNN reports .
Reportedly, a train assembler, a driver, and his assistant developed a step-by-step scheme to steal diesel fuel from locomotives. They involved several of their colleagues in the scheme.
Law enforcement officers found out that the offenders were dumping fuel on the territory of a railway station near the city of Kremenchuk. They took enhanced conspiracy measures: they used radio stations, communicated exclusively through messengers, and deployed so-called "tricksters" on the routes to ensure that no one noticed the illegal actions.
The group members could steal up to one ton of fuel from the locomotives at a time. They would then take it by car to storage facilities, such as garages and utility rooms, owned by the defendants. They then sold the stolen fuel in the Kremenchuk district of Poltava region.
The three suspects were detained while the locomotive was being drained of fuel.
The law enforcement also conducted 22 searches in the offenders' offices, residences, garages and cars. They seized 1.5 tons of fuel, train routes, bank cards, mobile phones, fuel theft equipment, a car used to transport the stolen goods, and "draft" records.
Law enforcement officers documented 21 cases of fuel theft. The amount of damage caused to JSC Ukrzaliznytsia reaches UAH 500,000
The police served five participants of the fraud with a notice of suspicion under Part 4 of Article 191 (Misappropriation, embezzlement or seizure of property through abuse of office) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The article provides for up to eight years in prison.
Currently, the court has imposed custody as a measure of restraint on three suspects with the right to be released on bail in excess of UAH 242,000 each. As for two more, the motions are being considered. Further measures are being taken to establish the full range of persons involved in the criminal activity in order to bring them to justice.
