Caught in the Act: How Fuelwatch Uncovered a $500 Fuel Theft at the Pump

Fuel theft isn’t always a dramatic heist — sometimes, it’s just a quick deal at a truck stop. But when it happens regularly across a fleet, the impact is massive. One of our clients recently caught a driver red-handed, and Fuelwatch made it possible.

The Setup: A 34-Hour Reset Gone Wrong

During a routine 34-hour reset at a truck stop in Oklahoma City, one of the fleet’s OTR drivers swiped his company fuel card — but not for his own truck.

Instead, he filled up another owner-operator’s truck with $500 worth of diesel, pocketing $200 in cash under the table.

How We Caught It

Fuelwatch flagged the transaction immediately. Here’s how:

• Fuel Purchased vs. Fuel Consumed: Our application flagged more fuel purchased than consumed and signaled exactly when and where the discrepancy occurred

• Telematics Integration: We utilized Samsara telematics data to verify that the location and fuel levels did not align with the fuel transaction details from the fuel card.

• Dashcam Review: With the tipoff in hand, the fleet manager reviewed dashcam footage. Clear as day — the driver was fueling a different truck.

The Outcome

The driver was terminated immediately. Just as important, the fleet now has a systematic way to monitor every gallon of fuel — not just after the fact, but in near real time.

Why It Matters

Fuel theft is silent margin erosion. If you're not actively tracking fuel consumed vs. fuel purchased, you’re vulnerable. It only takes a few incidents like this to rack up thousands in losses.

Stop Fuel Theft Before It Starts

Fuelwatch helps you spot the red flags:

• Fueling without miles driven

• Excessive fuel during downtime

• High fuel purchases without matching consumption

  
  

Don’t let it happen to you. Book a 30-minute walkthrough of Fuelwatch and see how we help fleets monitor, catch, and prevent fuel theft every day.