Three Men Charged in Dr. Pepper Syrup Theft, Resale Scheme
In Oklahoma City, Okla., three men have been accused of stealing more than $100,000 in Dr. Pepper syrup from a warehouse and reselling the soft drink ingredient to a gas station in town, according to a local news report.
On the night of October 19, police found Jimmy Lee Robinson III outside the doors of a Keurig Dr Pepper warehouse in town, after a security guard said he had climbed the parking lot fence and entered the warehouse. Robinson, who reportedly was a former employee who had quit in August, told police he was exercising.
A facility regional manager said thefts had been an issue since May, particularly of the “Dr. Pepper 5-Gallon Bag in a Box” product, which was worth $98 and could make approximately 120 32-ounce soft drinks.
Parking lot remotes were swapped out and GPS trackers were put on syrup boxes in an attempt to find the culprit. Trackers showed pallets of product being dropped off at a local gas station which allegedly paid Robinson $50 for every box delivered. According to the news report, Robinson said he began stealing product while employed, and had taken 10 pallets during his employment — roughly $39,200 worth of product — and then two to three pallets per week after he had quit working at the facility.
Robinson faces felony charges of second-degree burglary, embezzlement and receiving, possessing or concealing stolen property. The gas station contact who accepted the stolen product, Duc Nguyen, was also arrested and charged with receiving, possessing or concealing stolen property. In addition, a third man, Hector Archila-Rodas, who had been fired from the KDP facility earlier this year, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, as police said he texted Robinson about obtaining the syrup and getting money from Nguyen.
