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A daring thief was captured on surveillance video as he targeted a California educational facility dedicated to individuals with intellectual disabilities, stealing gas from a transport van and causing significant disruption for nearly 200 students who rely on its services.
Employees at the Diamond Learning Center in Clovis are expressing growing frustration after a suspect breached their gated parking area, siphoning fuel from one of their essential transport vans.
According to footage, a man entered the lot around 5 p.m. on Sunday, directly approaching the vehicle with numerous gas containers, seemingly prepared to extract more fuel than he ultimately did, as reported by KMPH.
“When we arrived, one of the vans had clearly been tampered with—there was oil all over the ground, which was our first clue,” explained Isaac Jimenez, the center’s senior director, to the news outlet. “Gas cans were left at the scene, and the gas had been taken.”
The suspect is observed fleeing with a gas container after allegedly siphoning fuel from a van used to transport students at the Diamond Learning Center in Clovis, California.
The suspect fled with a large red container, leaving behind two others, evidence, staff say, that the theft was planned.
Clovis Police confirmed to Fox News Digital that a report was taken early Monday morning for three separate misdemeanors, which included vehicle tampering, trespassing and theft.
Investigators say the suspect either climbed over or somehow got through a perimeter fence to access the gated lot. The stolen fuel was valued at roughly $40, and police noted there was minor damage to the vehicle.
Surveillance video shows the suspect entering a gated parking lot with containers before stealing gas from a school van at Diamond Learning Center in Clovis. (Diamond Learning Center/KMPH)
Despite the surveillance video, the case is currently suspended due to a lack of investigative leads, with officers saying the video quality is not clear enough to identify a suspect.
Officials say the theft would likely be classified as petty theft, with the value of the stolen fuel estimated at under $900.
While gas thefts remain relatively uncommon, police note they tend to increase when fuel prices rise.
Police described the incident as “disappointing,” noting that any theft is a violation of property—especially when it involves breaking into a secured area.
For the school, the impact goes far beyond the cost of the gas.
The Diamond Learning Center in Clovis, California, serves nearly 200 individuals and was targeted in a gas theft incident. (Diamond Learning Center/KMPH)
The vans serve about 190 students, many of whom rely on strict daily routines. Staff say the theft forced them to reshuffle routes, delay pickups and scramble to notify parents – throwing off entire school days.
“It also throws off the student for the day,” Jimenez said. “It’s hard to get them back, to refocus.”
Jimenez had a blunt message for the suspect: don’t come back.
“You got away with it once—you’re not going to get away with it again,” he said.
Police are investigating and urging anyone with information to come forward.
Officials also recommend drivers take precautions, including locking gas caps and parking in secure areas whenever possible.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.