STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. — Two individuals, Palacio and Caboverde, were arrested following a fuel theft investigation at a Steamboat Springs gas station, according to the affidavit. The arrest stems from a series of suspicious actions observed by Steamboat Springs Police Detective Christian Barnett.
The investigation began when Barnett noticed a box truck fueling at the station from 6:39 p.m. to 7:47 p.m. on the evening of the incident. Barnett, in plain clothes and monitoring from an unmarked vehicle, requested a check of the truck’s license plate, revealing that both the registration was expired and the vehicle registration description did not match the truck.
After the truck left the gas station, Barnett initiated a traffic stop on Shield Drive. The driver, later identified as Palacio, presented a driver’s license that did not confirm his identity and claimed he was borrowing the truck from someone named Luis, without providing further details. Palacio also said that he was driving from Aurora to Luis’s property but was unable to specify its location.
During questioning, Palacio claimed that the truck had taken an hour to fuel because he was paying with gift cards and that it took 45 minutes for the cards to activate. However, law enforcement later confirmed that card activation happens immediately, contradicting Palacio’s statement.
Further investigation revealed that Palacio had no receipts for the fuel purchases and had inconsistencies in his statements, such as mentioning he was hauling trash in the truck but then stating it was empty. Officers requested permission to search the truck, but Palacio denied consent, claiming they needed an order.
The affidavit notes that fuel thefts can involve hidden tanks within the vehicle, and using gift cards is a common method for criminals to hide their identity while committing fraudulent activities.
Following these findings, law enforcement arrested Palacio and Caboverde, citing probable cause. During the search of the truck, officers seized a cell phone and several Mastercard gift cards as evidence.
Both suspects are scheduled for court appearances: Palacio’s is set for 2:15 p.m. Thursday, while Caboverde’s will be at 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 17. They will appear virtually from Routt County Jail.
