Valets arrested for swiping Mobil gas passes

SUE DOYLE

NEWPORT BEACH -- Two Newport Beach restaurant valets were arrested

Thursday for allegedly stealing Mobil gasoline “speed passes” from the

key chains of more than 50 customers and then selling them for $10 to $20

each, authorities said.

Paulo Rodolpho Jr., 23, of Newport Beach, and Roberto O. Hernandez,

33, of Santa Ana were arrested on suspicion of theft and the sale of

stolen property.

Both men are being held in Newport Beach City Jail on $10,000 bail.

They will be arraigned Monday at Harbor Justice Center, said Newport

Beach Police Department Sgt. Mike McDermott.

Mobil representatives alerted authorities about the theft of the

passes after receiving numerous notifications from customers who found

erroneous charges on their monthly accounts.

The Mobil Speedpass system allows on-the-go consumers to wave the pass

in front of gas pumps and fill up. A computer chip inside the pass

automatically records the transaction and it then appears on the

customer’s statement.

Approximately 57 people were victimized by the thefts while they ate

at Newport Beach restaurants. The total loss is estimated at $11,000.

Of the 57 victims, 39 dined at Aysia 101, McDermott said. Others

noticed they were missing their Speedpasses after dining at Roy’s

Steakhouse.

Three fraud detectives from the Newport Beach Police Department on

Thursday posed as customers at Roy’s Steakhouse at Fashion Island and

allowed valets to park their unmarked cars.

When the valets returned the cars, two detectives discovered that

decoy Speedpasses, attached to their key chains, were missing. The other

detective’s pass was allegedly switched for one that was not activated,

McDermott said.

Authorities arrested the two men and recovered six additional passes

allegedly stolen from other restaurant customers that night, McDermott

said.

Rodolpho and Hernandez were part-time employees of Irvine-based AJW

Parking Services. The valet service was contacted by Mobil

representatives about the rash of thefts and attempted to work together

to resolve the problem, said Eddie Bashawaty, manager of AJW Parking

Services.

The valet company currently does not conduct background checks on its

employees, which may change, Bashawaty said.

“We don’t check for criminal activities, but I think we may have to

change that policy,” Bashawaty said. “This has been such a nightmare.”