Thief River Falls Man Cited in Gas Drive-Off Theft
THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn. (trfnews.i234.me) — Ricky James Charpentier, 35, of New Iberia, Louisiana, has been cited in connection with a reported gasoline theft in Thief River Falls.
Police received the report at 12:28 p.m. on Sept. 28.
The reported theft happened the night before, according to the police report.
The incident was reported at Northdale Main in Thief River Falls.
Police Say Driver Left Without Paying
Charpentier was cited for theft of motor fuel from a retailer.
Police allege he pumped gasoline and then drove away without paying.
The report states the unpaid fuel totaled $25.02.
The information provided does not state what kind of vehicle was involved.
It also does not say how police identified the suspect.
No additional charges were listed in the information provided.
Retail Fuel Theft Can Lead to Criminal Charges
Gas drive-off cases are usually investigated as theft matters.
Minnesota law covers theft under Minnesota Statute 609.52.
The amount involved can affect how a case is charged.
The police report in this case lists a citation, not a more serious charge.
Retailers often use cameras, receipts, and witness information in these investigations.
Those details were not included in the brief report provided here.
Case Details Remain Limited
The report does not list a court date.
It also does not state whether Charpentier later paid for the fuel.
A citation or arrest does not prove guilt.
Charpentier is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Charges can also be amended, dismissed, or resolved in other ways.
Public court records may be available through Minnesota Court Records Online.
Police reports often contain early details.
Those details can change as a case moves through the court system.
I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.
Copyright 2026 TRF News. All rights reserved.
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I did this this summer and they just called me a couple days later and just said come in and pay it so idk
Vast majority of the time it is an accident. You can almost always tell when it’s not though from the footage
Mike Reber that’s happened to me lol
I was so embarrassed but least I didn’t go to jail haha!