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Bradenton police arrest man accused of repeated fuel theft with stolen credit cards

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BRADENTON, Fla. — A man accused of using stolen credit cards to purchase large amounts of diesel fuel at a Bradenton Walmart was arrested after an officer caught him in the act.

Bradenton police said Detective Scanlan was following up on an Oct. 17 case in which a man bought 44 gallons of diesel with a stolen credit card at the Walmart on Cortez Road. While at the store on a follow-up visit, employees alerted him that the same truck was at the gas pumps.

Scanlan watched as the driver filled up with $150 worth of diesel before pulling him over. Police identified the man as Sergio Gonzalez-Chinque.

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Gonzalez-Chinque was arrested after investigators determined he had used a different stolen credit card number to purchase the one used in the October incident.

He faces two counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and two counts of petty theft.

This is an ongoing investigation.

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