Last week, it was reported that a case was resolved in court where diesel fuel was stolen from the Olerex Jüri station. Prosecutor Toomas Tomberg said that employee Igor Sorokin used his access to the station's systems to repeatedly steal diesel fuel.
According to the prosecutor, Sorokin committed 51 theft episodes. He turned off the video surveillance and pumped fuel into his vehicle's tanks. The total value of the stolen fuel was nearly €108,600.
The court found Sorokin guilty and sentenced him to two years and six months of conditional imprisonment. He must also compensate Olerex €108,589. The court ruling has not yet entered into force.
Tomberg said that this was a systematic theft that lasted for a long time. Evidence such as video surveillance logs and witness testimonies proved Sorokin's guilt.
The court found that the evidence was reliable and proved Sorokin's actions throughout the entire period. Tomberg emphasized that this is a noteworthy case due to the volume of fuel and the duration of the theft.
According to the Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs, fuel thefts have increased this year. More than 2,000 thefts have been registered. This shows that thieves' activities have become more systematic. Repeated thefts are classified as criminal offenses.
When a person steals repeatedly and knowingly, such behavior becomes a crime. Fuel theft is a major cause of the increase in property-related crimes.