LUCKNOW, July 16 -- Under the cover of darkness, fuel tankers would appear motionless on computer screens while, several kilometres away, petrol and diesel were allegedly being siphoned off. Lucknow Police on Wednesday said the fuel theft syndicate, which was busted on Sunday, allegedly exploited weaknesses in GPS tracking and electronic tanker locks to evade detection, exposing critical gaps in oil companies' transport security systems. The findings emerged during Operation Ethanol Shield, a Crime Branch investigation into fuel theft, adulteration and black marketing. Police said the probe, which led to the arrest of four accused and seizure of more than 16,000 litres of petrol, diesel, solvent and other petroleum products, uncovered a network that had allegedly mastered the technology designed to stop it. According to additional DCP (Crime) Kiran Yadav, the gang operated between 11 pm and 5-6 am, when most urban petrol pumps remain shut. At a predetermined roadside halt, the tanker driver reached beneath the dashboard near the clutch assembly and disconnected the power supply to the GPS unit. Instantly, the tracking system froze at its last recorded location, making it appear in the control room that the tanker had not moved.htc...