John Culatto
A BRITISH family of four have been accused of siphoning off €4 million worth of aeroplane fuel from an underground pipe leading to Malaga Airport.
The theft of more than 150,000 litres of petrol, diesel and kerosene almost left the Costa del Sol’s primary transport hub without fuel-less.
The alleged crime on the family’s farm was all carried out with plumbing tool, making it very unsafe, according to a technician from the Logistical Hydrocarbon Company (CLH).
The difficulty of knowing where the pipe was located and the high pressure could have easily led to a huge explosion that could have killed them instantly.
The CLH expert noted how the accused had poured a layer of concrete on the pipe in order to avoid this possibility.
However, this had meant that the fuel spilled onto the earth, causing major environmental damage to the Guadalhorce water table.
According to the father of the family, the only thing he was asked to do was make the hole into the pipe for which he was paid €500.
He said could not reveal the identity of who asked him to do it, though, as this ‘would put my family into danger.’
His son, who accepted buying the fuel drums, admitted he ‘shouldn’t have taken the job’ while his former wife said he knew nothing about it.
The police discovered the theft after a suspicious pipe was seen on the farm during a helicopter search.
It led to the arrest of the father who was driving a van with 1,000 litres of diesel inside, which a neighbour saw doing daily trips from the farm.
The family could be sent down for as long as 30 years in prison, although they have already returned three €3 million of the total value of the stolen fuel.
