Tricycle drivers in Mangaldan, Pangasinan have fallen victim to fuel theft, with several reporting drained tanks amid rising gasoline prices, police said.

One of the victims, the husband of Cynthia Aquino, had filled his tricycle with P300 worth of gasoline on Saturday, April 11, 2026, only to find the tank empty the next day.

“Napakahirap po kasi mahal na ang gasolina tapos ganun pa ang gagawin sa amin,” Aquino said.

Other drivers discovered similar incidents morning on Sunday, April 12, with at least six tricycles reportedly siphoned of fuel.

“Nagpapakahirap kami, diyan na ipinaparada, hindi naman namin nakikita o namo-monitor, hindi na namin nababantayan,” Arnold De Vera, a tricycle driver, said.

The tricycles were parked overnight in an open lot in Barangay Anolid, where more than 10 vehicles can be accommodated. Some drivers said they could not park their vehicles inside their homes due to narrow alleys.

Daisy De Vera, a resident, said they only noticed the theft the following morning.

“Ang bahay namin nasa tabing kalsada lang, wala naman kaming narinig. Kinaumagahan na namin nakita na wala nang mga gasolina,” she said.

The Pangasinan Police Provincial Office said theft cases have increased slightly, which it attributed partly to rising fuel prices.

“Nag-elevate ng bahagya ang cases dahil sa crisis din. Karaniwan theft, may robbery din,” Police Colonel Arbel Mercullo, provincial director, said.

Authorities said they have intensified anti-criminality efforts and increased police visibility in affected areas. They also urged the public to secure their vehicles and belongings to prevent similar incidents.