Two Illinois men are accused of stealing diesel fuel from a government property, but according to investigators, the alleged getaway fell apart almost immediately for a very basic reason: neither vehicle they used was supposed to run on diesel in the first place.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Bryan Kettley, 26, and Codi Despain, 20, both of Dixon, were arrested Sunday evening following an investigation into a reported theft at the Nelson Township Building, as reported by KWQC.
Deputies say the investigation determined the two allegedly cut wires connected to a fuel tank on the property before removing diesel fuel. According to the sheriff’s office, that fuel was then placed into a gasoline-powered pickup truck and an ATV.
The Getaway Didn’t Get Far
According to deputies, Kettley and Despain attempted to leave the scene in the pickup truck after fueling it with diesel. That plan did not last long.
Investigators say the truck became inoperable after being filled with diesel fuel, stopping the attempted escape almost immediately.
According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the two then attempted to get away on an ATV. However, deputies say the ATV had also been filled with diesel fuel, and it too became inoperable. The vehicle was later found abandoned not far from the township building.
The sequence, as described by investigators, turned what could have been a routine theft case into something far more unusual, with both vehicles allegedly disabled before they could get very far.
Charges and a Third Arrest
Kettley and Despain were taken to the Lee County Jail and charged with criminal damage to government property and theft of government property, both class 4 felonies, along with theft under $500, a class A misdemeanor, according to deputies.
Both men were processed and released in accordance with the Illinois SAFE-T Act, according to the sheriff’s office.
During the course of the investigation, deputies say a third person was also arrested.
According to investigators, London Thomas, 22, of Dixon, was found near the abandoned ATV. Deputies allege Thomas coordinated efforts to move the vehicle to private property and conceal it.
Thomas was arrested and charged with obstructing justice, a class 4 felony, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. He was also taken to the Lee County Jail and later released under the SAFE-T Act.
For now, the case is moving through the court system. According to investigators, the charges themselves are straightforward, but the details have drawn attention for a different reason—an alleged getaway that never really got started.