This is a different type of topic for this month, one that we investigate but have never discussed in an article. Cases involving energy theft present a unique set of challenges for private investigators. Energy theft is typically held on a large scale such as oil rigs, gas pipelines or even solar farms. It seems like an unusual type of theft. Most people are used to news about retail theft or car theft however, energy theft is more prevalent than you may think.
When energy theft is suspected, private investigators like RGH Investigations can uncover the facts by interviewing involved parties, conducting on-site surveys, tracking suspects across state or international borders, and providing findings you may choose to use in court. We support investigations across all areas of the energy sector, including gas, electricity, coal, oilfields, petroleum, nuclear power, and renewable energy.
What is Energy Theft?
Some examples of energy theft might include:
- Theft and tampering: This is when valuable oilfield equipment such as copper wiring, specialized valves, etc. are stolen. Oil and gas itself might be redirected to another location and stolen, then resold. It also includes meter tampering on both a commercial and residential scale. Meter tampering is when a person decreases the amount of energy used to receive a lower price. A private investigator might use surveillance to track the stolen goods.
- Corporate corruption: The energy sector is massive, and the amount of money transacted on a daily basis in energy makes it a prime target for money laundering schemes and false invoicing. A private investigator might be hired to look into a financial investigation, where they’d be conducting asset tracking and employee background checks to uncover individuals who are involved in bribery or embezzlement.
- Espionage: The energy sector is driven by technology. Energy companies consistently face problems with individuals attempting to steal the advanced technological designs. A private investigator can conduct sweeps to determine if there are any third party surveillance devices if espionage is suspected.
A Mexican Cartel Steals Oil In Texas
Energy theft is a booming industry. In fact, in October 2025, a number of individuals from Mexico were recently caught stealing oil from a New Mexico refinery in Lea County. There was a recent arrest of five thieves belonging to a Mexican cartel. They were, allegedly, part of a large-scale oilfield theft ring. Private investigators across the southern border were working overtime.
According to a private investigator who works with the Lea County police department, 96% of the crime in Lea County is oilfield theft. The investigator claims that the amount of oil stolen is worth so much, it’s difficult to estimate. The thieves have stolen millions of dollars’ worth of oil and machinery. Since the beginning of 2024 and until 2025, there were 59 theft cases in Lea County alone. Private investigators held surveillance operations, which tracked and recorded conversations held by the thieves. The conversations uncovered that hundreds of barrels of oil were siphoned per day. The New Mexico private investigator claimed that he knows of one oil company that had to sell out due to theft. Someone stole over one million dollars’ worth of machinery. A theft so big resulted in major internal issues, where if one million dollars of machinery is stolen, then one million dollars in damages of other machinery must be amended. In a recent arrest for energy theft on the Texas-Mexico border, a thief managed to steal oil by producing fraudulent load tickets and ship it to his own company and resell it back to Texas.
RGH Investigates Energy Theft
Energy theft happens everywhere across the US, not just on the border. RGH Investigations can help with surveillance, interviews, and even look into red flags that might indicate potential theft or fraud. Call RGH Investigations to get started at 312-981-8770.
