Stealing of diesel fuel from farmers' storage tanks has quadrupled in Fresno County, CA, and other parts of the Central Valley as the price of diesel fuel has surged, the New York Times reported.

Although similar thefts are common in other states, law enforcement officials said California is in a category by itself because its prices are among the highest in the nation and its farmland extends across thousands of square miles, making it difficult to patrol, the Times reported.

Through mid-June, authorities estimate thieves in the eight counties that make up the Central Valley have stolen 46,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

The situation has gotten so bad, surveillance equipment like motion sensors and cameras have been installed in remote areas considered particularly vulnerable to large diesel thefts at night, the Times reported.