Representative Gonzales visits the Basin to discuss increase in oil thefts

MONAHANS, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – Republican Representative Tony Gonzales was in West Texas today, speaking at length about combatting oil field thefts in the Permian Basin.

Gonzales, with local law enforcement agencies and the FBI, said that the thefts at oil sites have increased dramatically recently.

“Not many people know what oil looks like, and what it looks like, it looks a whole lot like illegal transactions. A truck coming up to a storage tank and siphoning oil off and away they go, well guess what, that’s happening non-stop. How can we determine between legal and illegal traffic? A big part of that is gonna be at the local level, the folks on the ground that are being able to tackle that,” said Representative Gonzales.

Gonzales also spoke on the connections he is seeing between the border and increased oil field thefts, saying he has brought up these concerns in front of the Homeland Security Committee, to officials like Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

“Due to the border crisis, there’s absolutely a nexus to the increase in oil theft, and I’ve seen it spread… The issue I brought up is I’m seeing many of us are seeing a growing increase of Cuban Nationals… So once again, when a local law enforcement pulls somebody over and they’re a Cuban National, it has a lot of nexuses to it. It’s not just oil. They’re stealing everything that isn’t bolted, bolted down in some cases,” continued Gonzales.

The US Representative also added that the thefts are more than just an economic problem for our local industry, but a threat to national security as well.

To mitigate this theft, local law agencies like the Winkler County Sheriff’s Office are now starting training to better spot proper work identification and invoices for anyone that is transporting oil from these fields.

This visit comes as Representative August Pfluger hosted a roundtable in Midland , discussing efforts to reduce emissions in the Basin.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin.