Show Oil field thievery big business says agent Theft of drilling equipment may not af- af affect affect oil companies But the amount of stolen equipment recovered in the Ver- Ver Vernal Vernal nal area has become enough of a pro pro- problem problem blem to involve the Federal Bureau of Investigation The Bureau expects to seek an indictment indict indict- indictment ment in Federal court soon in connection with the recovery of four drill bits worth wortha a total of in Uintah County earlier this year They were stolen from the Evanston Wyo area said special agent Cal Clegg of the FBI's Salt Lake City office Their inventories are so large that they companies dont don't know if its stolen laying in the field or In a warehouse said Clegg He said thieves sell selI stolen equipment to oil tool companies for distribution In another area He believes tool companies in the Vernal area do not participate in inthe Inthe the illegal business however Theres been lots of thefts Were We're starting to recover some of it Clegg said Detective CpI Larry Crowl of the Uin- Uin Uintah Uintah tah County Sheriffs Sheriff's office compares en- en enforcement enforcement of the problem to that of fraudulent check writing law enforce enforce- enforcement enforcement ment officials consider it a serious pro pro- problem problem blem but so common comm that it is tough to control Compounding the problem Is that well sites are in remote areas which in- in increases increases creases the problem in providing security security ty j |