Bradenton man charged with stealing truck, fuel

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WWSB) - A Bradenton man was arrested Monday and charged with stealing a semi truck and using it, along with stolen credit cards and credit card skimmers, to steal diesel fuel, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Troopers initiated a traffic stop Monday morning on a 2016 Freightliner truck at Fort Myers gas station. The truck and two occupants were suspected to be involved with fuel theft and credit card fraud on an earlier date and different location, investigators said.

As they inspected the truck, it was found to be stolen from Miami and equipped with illegally welded fuel tanks, filled with stolen diesel fuel.

Troopers also confiscated a credit card skimmer, numerous stolen credit cards, and a laptop computer.

The driver, Juan Alfredo Escalona Hidalgo, 33, of Bradenton, and Raul Torralba, 42, of Lehigh Acres, were arrested charged with multiple counts of larceny, fraud, resisting arrest without violence, unlawful conveyance of fuel and grand theft auto.