HARTFORD — Police arrested a city employee and two other men in connection with the theft of gas from a municipal refueling truck.
Police said city employee Tyler Walker, 30, of East Hartford, Mark Gardner, 51, of Windsor, and Robert Gardner, 77, of Windsor, were charged Tuesday with conspiracy to commit larceny, (defrauding a public community.)
Police said they were tipped off to irregularities in the use of a portable refueling truck owned by the city. The truck is equipped with an automatic vehicle locator that showed it had made several trips out of town and 15 trips to an area near the behind the Meadows Amphitheater.
“HPD Detectives observed Walker towards the start of his shift (3pm-11pm) filling the refueling truck to capacity at the city gas pumps. Several hours later Walker was observed, through surveillance, traveling to East Hartford where he pulled into a garage bay at 91 Charles Street. Detectives then saw the refueling truck pull out of the garage and begin to refuel a privately owned flatbed (Gardner Transportation). A take down ensued and Walker, along with two co-conspirators, were safely taken into custody. DPW Supervisor were notified and responded. During a debrief of the accused suspects at 50 Jennings Road, Walker admitted to selling the gas at a price of $150.00 for 100 Gallons and stated he had done it “several” times since February at several locations (East Hartford, and the Rail lot), all for personal profit.”
The truck carries nearly 100 gallons of fuel and is designed to refuel vehicles in the field.
Tyler Walker will be arraigned on April 10.
Mark Gardner will be arraigned on April 12.
Robert Gardner will be arraigned on April 11.
