East Bay duo charged with San Jose Safeway gas scheme

(KRON) — Two East Bay men have been charged with a scheme in which stolen credit card data was used to steal thousands of gallons of diesel fuel from South Bay Safeway gas stations.

Yuniel Cordero, 40, of Oakland, is accused of committing a string of fuel thefts from Safeway locations around San Jose, Santa Clara County prosecutors said. Over the course of several months, Cordero allegedly pumped $90,000 worth of stolen gas into a makeshift bladder in the back of a truck.

He then sold the diesel at a discount rate to Henry Umana's San Leandro-based trucking company, according to prosecutors.

Cordero was arraigned in court on June 25. He is charged with organized retail theft, identity theft, conspiracy, 61 counts of grand theft, and 14 counts of petty theft. Umana, 44, is charged with organized retail theft, receiving stolen property, and conspiracy.

“These defendants were criminally filling up their fuel tanks and their pockets, using the stolen property of others,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. “Our high-octane investigator along with the Sheriff's Office made sure this scheme is out of gas and out of business.”

The scheme was initially uncovered when a person reported that their credit card had been used at a Safeway even though they never shopped there. DA Investigator Bret Moiseff tracked down the thief.

Investigators said they found credit card skimming devices at Cordero’s house during his June 20 arrest.

Umana bought gas from Cordero for $3.50-$3.75 a gallon, prosecutors said. The average price for diesel in California is more than $5 a gallon. DA investigators, Santa Clara County Sheriff's deputies, and the California Highway Patrol Organized Retail Theft Task Force searched Umana's trucking company and found thousands of gallons of stolen fuel.

A judge granted Cordero and Umana’s release from jail on Monday despite objections from the District Attorney’s Office.

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