The oil industry is not the type of industry that promises steady work for steady pay. Working in the oil fields is dirty, demanding, and even dangerous, but it is not without its rewards. When oil prices are high, jobs are plentiful and the pay is good, if not excellent. This draws many workers, especially young workers who are not afraid of the physically demanding nature of oil field work, to remote locations to work in the oil fields. Unfortunately, when oil prices drop, companies lay off workers. Sometimes, these layoffs affect a substantial number of people. Since the oil fields are located in remote areas, there are not many other types of work available nearby. Some oil field workers are unable to afford to move away to find another job after they are laid off. In some cases, laid off oil workers have used their knowledge of oilfield equipment and the oil business to steal tools, materials, and oil.
The theft of oil and oilfield equipment costs the oil industry about one billion dollars each and every year. Oil and oilfield equipment theft is such a big problem in Texas that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has a dedicated team that works there full time to combat it. The team searches for stolen oilfield equipment in Texas and New Mexico, as well as south of the border in Mexico. Stolen tools, supplies, and equipment are relatively easy to pawn, but there is more money to be made from stealing oil. When thieves steal oil and trick customers into purchasing it from them by using falsified shipping documentation to make their shipments appear to be legitimate, they can obtain its full price and not just its black market value.
Until recently, oil theft was punishable by state law. Now, it is considered a federal crime because recent precedent illustrates a connection between stolen oil and interstate commerce. When someone fills a tanker with stolen oil and brings it to a depot to unload it, that oil is destined for a pipeline that crosses state lines. In other words, the person driving the tanker full of stolen oil need not ever leave Texas to commit a federal crime.
Oil and oilfield equipment thefts are on the rise elsewhere, too. Law enforcement officials in Arkansas and Oklahoma have asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation to create a team like the one that is currently operating out of Texas to help them combat the rising incidence oilfield theft in those places.
If you have been charged with oil theft or any other crime, a Texas Criminal Defense Attorney can protect your rights and help you navigate the long road ahead of you. Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Alex Tyra understands how important a strong defense is in any type of criminal matter, and he is here to help you. Please call our office today, at (903) 753-7499, or visit our website to fill out our online contact form.