Court Orders Preemptive Arrest of Suspects in Transpetro Fuel Theft

Gasoline Leak Left One Child Dead and Five Injured. MPRJ Reported That 17 People Had to Leave Their Homes in the Area.

The 3rd Criminal Court of Duque de Caxias ordered the preventive detention of three suspects accused of puncturing a Transpetro pipeline in Duque de Caxias, in the Baixada Fluminense. The attempt to steal the fuel caused a leak and resulted in the death of a 9-year-old child. According to MPRJ, the fuel transportation company incurred losses exceeding R$2.8 million.

The Special Action Group to Combat Organized Crime (GAECO) filed charges against, in addition to the three suspects, four people identified as members of an organization responsible for the theft. They also allegedly participated in the theft.

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The charges indicate that William Cesar Vieira, Mateus Kevin da Silva Belo, and Wesley Muniz Pollete punctured the Orbel I pipeline of Transpetro, causing a leak of approximately 237,000 liters of gasoline. The crime occurred on April 26 on Rua Celeno, Capivari neighborhood, in Duque de Caxias.

Antônio Martins da Silva, the victim’s grandfather, Fernanda Pacheco Luciano, the victim’s mother, Sonia Cristina Tavares Ventura, and Ventura Carmona Ventura are also suspected of participating in the theft. They would have functions related to surveillance, transportation, and negotiating the stolen gasoline.

The relatives of the deceased girl will be charged with crimes of qualified homicide, qualified theft, environmental crime, crime against the economic order, and criminal organization.

According to MPRJ, “the theft was not completed as the hose attached to the valve ruptured, which could not withstand the high pressure of the pipeline.”

The puncture, in addition to causing the death of the 9-year-old child with 80% of her body burned, displaced 17 residents from the area. The environmental crime caused a thick white cloud, about 10 meters in height, due to the gasoline leak.

Ana Cristina Pacheco Luciano, 9 years old, died on May 23 after suffering 80% of her body burned in the fuel leak. She was found unconscious in a puddle of gasoline.

The girl was hospitalized at the Adão Pereira Nunes State Hospital in Duque de Caxias, with 80% of her body burned. She suffered burns on her hands, arms, and legs.

Police Arrest Gas Station Owner and Transpetro Employees for Fuel Theft in SP

Operation Trupanon, against a criminal organization specializing in stealing state pipelines, executed 14 temporary arrest warrants and 45 search and seizure warrants in cities in São Paulo. Civil police from the Cargo Theft Unit of the Sectional Police Station of Guarulhos, in Greater São Paulo, arrested at least ten people on Monday, July 1, including a gas station owner and employees of Transpetro — the logistics and transportation subsidiary of Petrobras — for fuel theft.

R$ 150 million in losses every year. This is the amount lost by Petrobras due to the actions of criminal groups against oil and derivative transportation pipelines.