Five arrested for using semi trucks to steal loads of steel rods from Texas property

Five people were arrested and charged with the theft of loads of steel rods and other materials from a property in Gaines County, Texas.

On November 9, 2025, the Gaines County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) responded to a location off Nadine Road for reports of suspicious activity.

When GCSO deputies arrived at the scene, they found that “several individuals were actively involved in stealing steel rods, pipes, and other materials from the property.”

The following suspects were arrested on charges of Theft and Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity:

• Ricardo Flores
• David Holguin
• Juan Jacquez Sanchez
• Eluid De La Cruz
• Luis Medrano Rubio

GCSO said that the suspects used “multiple semi-trucks with flatbed trailers” as well as other equipment to facilitate the theft. The trucking equipment was removed from the location, police said.

GCSO investigators learned that several loads of steel rods had been stolen from the property already over the weekend. The stolen items were tracked to a location in Odessa, where they were being stored.

GCSO was assisted in the investigation by the Permian Basin Oilfield Theft Task Force.

“Our deputies and investigators did an outstanding job responding quickly and stopping this large-scale theft in progress. We take crimes like this seriously because they directly impact our local economy and the hardworking people of Gaines County,” said Gaines County Sheriff J.A. Vest.