By Linda Trischitta
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel
OAKLAND PARK, Fla. — A Lauderdale-by-the-Sea firefighting official was arrested Tuesday, accused of stealing 15 gallons of gasoline, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said.
“I’m innocent until proven guilty,” said John Louvaris, 52, when reached on his cell phone Wednesday.
As battalion chief, Louvaris is the third-ranking leader of the Volunteer Fire Department. “It’s unbelievable what happened, that’s all I can tell you.”
Louvaris, also described on the Sheriff’s Office report as a mechanic at J&G Auto Service in Oakland Park, was charged with misdemeanor theft. He spent the night in jail before posting a $25 bond, said agency spokesman Mike Jachles.
According to the report, at 5:40 p.m. Louvaris and another man whom deputies were still seeking Wednesday night paid $10 for gasoline for their pickup trucks at Richardson’s BP, at North Andrews and Prospect avenues.
Owner Keith Richardson said the two men passed the pump nozzles back and forth, the report states, but in the store, it appeared the pump was off. Richardson said he saw one of the men put into a pocket what he thought was a programming device that state officials, pump mechanics and installers use for inspections and to check gasoline blends. The device also allows fuel to flow without recording sales inside a station.
Convinced the men were stealing, Richardson said he demanded to be paid. He said he and his son tried to detain both drivers but stopped only Louvaris, the report states. Richardson said he took Louvaris’ keys and two large, leaky plastic containers from a truck and waited for deputies to arrive.
Louvaris’ container held 15 gallons of gas worth $43, Richardson said.
Richardson told deputies that the other man had eight 12- to 15-gallon containers in his truck and that he thought they were filled.
Richardson estimated the alleged theft cost $691 for 95 gallons of fuel and pump maintenance, according to the Sheriff’s Office report.
Richardson said his family has owned the station since April.
“It took every dime we could borrow to get this started, and we are working, struggling,” Richardson said. “For him, being a firefighter, isn’t he supposed to serve and protect?”
Copyright 2009 South Florida Sun-Sentinel