FBI joins multi-city fuel theft raid across East Bay

OAKLAND, Calif. - Federal agents and local police conducted a raid Wednesday morning at an Oakland industrial site as part of a multi-agency investigation into an organized fuel theft ring.

The operation involved the FBI, the Greenfield Police Department, the Oakland Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol. Authorities confirmed they were serving search warrants linked to ongoing fuel theft activity spanning several cities.

East Bay operation

What we know:

Law enforcement served warrants at locations in Oakland, Richmond, and San Leandro. In Oakland, one operation centered on a lot at 4220 Alameda Ave., near the Home Depot on High Street.

The area was closed to traffic for several hours as investigators processed the scene. Footage from the site showed several FBI vehicles parked among shipping containers and battered cars in what appeared to be a junkyard.

At an afternoon press conference, officials said no arrests have been made as part of the operation.

Raid not linked to ICE

Dig deeper:

Officials stressed that the presence of federal agents was strictly for a criminal investigation and was not related to immigration enforcement. No U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were involved in the operation.

"This investigation is strictly criminal in nature and focused on organized fuel theft activity," the Greenfield Police Department said in a statement.

Organized fuel theft typically involves the illegal resale of stolen gasoline or diesel. Authorities said that this type of crime poses significant public safety risks because of the unsafe handling and storage of highly flammable materials, which can lead to fires or explosions.