Palm Springs caterer catches man siphoning gas on doorbell camera
A Palm Springs catering company was burglarized over the summer, with thousands of dollars of computers, electronics, appliances stolen. And over the last few weeks, the office’s doorbell camera security footage shows a man siphoning gas from their catering vans.
The owner of the company, The Butler Did It, is calling for the public’s help and offering a cash reward to anyone that can recognize the man seen in the footage. He believes the burglary and gas siphoning are connected.
“The office was absolutely shambles,” said owner Bryan Tuggle. “You see it in movies and you think it’s over exaggerated, drawers were thrown out all over, ripped out, the filing cabinets were dumped over and tipped over.”
He learned of the burglary getting a call from his maintenance worker.
“He called me just a few minutes before 2am and you know it’s not good news when that happens,” Tuggle said. “They had busted out the side windows and stole about almost $9,000 dollars worth of computers, copiers, coffee machine if you can believe that, all sorts of things like that.”
He said the thieves shut down the alarms by breaking into an electrical room and cutting the power and internet to his office and three others.
“You feel personally violated because somebody would come in and invade your space and tried to hurt you financially,” Tuggle said.
Following that break-in, he installed a ring camera and security system which caught a man siphoning gas out of his catering vans.
The footage shows the thief approaching with a tank and hose — but before he can start stealing the gas, the owners is heard speaking over the security system intercom.
“Police are being called what the hell are you doing,” Tuggle shouted over the speaker. “Get the — out of there!”
In another instance at the gas station, he said he discovered fuel flowing out from under the van. The thieves had brazenly disconneted the lines and drained the gas, despite locking gas caps.
“I’m in hopes that somebody will recognize this person … so this nightmare im living with would stop,” Tuggle said.
Anyone with information related to this is asked to call Valley Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-STOP. Tips can remain anonymous and you may be eligible for a cash reward.
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