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Trucker drives off with $1500 worth of fuel

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EMPORIA, Va. (WTVR) - The manager of Simmons Travel Plaza off Interstate 95 near the Virginia-North Carolina line said he's never seen anything like it.

A truck driver pulled up to the pumps Sunday night, spent 25 minutes filling multiple fuel tanks and then drove off without paying.

The bill? More than $1,500 for 414 gallons of fuel.

The truck, which was not hauling a trailer, was described as Freightliner Cascadia or Colombia with a moose grill on the front.

The back wheels had black inserts and the front wheels had either spiked or extended lugs, Simmons Travel Plaza general manager Tony Moore said. The back side of truck had a blue light in the top corner and an amber light in the bottom corner, he added.

The driver used the phone at the pumps to convince the clerk inside the travel plaza to let him fill up, Moore said. Once he finished pumping, the driver pulled up to the center as if he was going to pay, waited for the clerk to turn around and then drove off.

Anyone with information about the fuel theft is asked to call the Greensville County Sheriff's Office at (434) 348-4200.

In 2001, Virginia enacted strict "drive off" laws to punish people who fill up their vehicles and drive off without paying. This truck driver could lose his license if he is caught.