Arizona Retailers Experiencing Fuel Theft Using Pulsar Manipulation Devices
Arizona retailers have been hit by criminal groups stealing fuel (especially diesel) by installing a pulsar manipulation device into the fuel pump. This trend started in Florida last year and has spread to several other states. It is my understanding that arrests have been made in several cases across the country and in the state.
The information below has been shared by the US Secret Service and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It is available “for official use only” meaning it should not be shared with the public or media.
A fuel pulsar is a plastic device connected to the fuel pump dispenser meter, housed within the fuel pump. The pulsar converts the mechanical movement of the fuel meter, then sends electrical pulses to control the dispenser’s electronic display. The information displayed on the screen corresponds by showing the customer the volume and cost of fuel dispensed.
As technologies have advanced, the type of manipulations being made to fuel pulsar devices has changed and become more sophisticated. In 2021, a fuel pulsar manipulator was found that used a homemade device powered by batteries attached to a wooden board. In 2022, a recovered device had been spray painted to match the fuel pulsar cover and “blend in” better. Additionally, some more recent devices have utilized mini transformers instead of batteries, showing increasing levels of sophistication.
Options to Protect Your Site:
• Install high quality cameras
• Keep a log of security tape numbers (strips have been replaced by criminals)
• Change out standard dispenser locks (even custom locks have been defeated by criminals)
• Install pulsar tampering shields (these have been defeated in some cases however)
• Monitor abnormalities in fuel volumes
• Educate clerks about this issue
• watch for suspicious behavior
• especially at farthest pump from the store
• especially at busy times of day
• watch for pumps running at a slow pace
Resources:
• APMA will have a Pulsar Manipulation Fuel Theft education session at the 2022 APMA Annual Conference in Flagstaff
• Texas Fuel Theft and Skimming Trends
• Florida Intelligence Bulletin with images available by emailing Amanda at APMA