By MIKE CORN

mcorn@dailynews.net

Gary Brungardt is so mad he's willing to cough up $15,000 of his own money for information leading to the arrest and conviction of an oil thief. A partner has kicked in another $5,000, swelling the size of the reward to $20,000.

Based in Russell, Brungardt wants to know who took about 300 barrels of oil from leases in Russell and Osborne counties in late December and early January. And he wants everyone to know that he's looking for whoever is responsible.

That's why he placed two advertisements in The Hays Daily News announcing the reward.

What makes Brungardt so mad is the theft had to be something of an inside job -- not someone within Brungardt Oil and Leasing that he operates -- but someone within the industry.

He thinks the person responsible had to have been someone familiar enough with the business and someone with the equipment, specifically a tank truck, to haul away the oil.

That person also was aware of how the leases operate, when they had oil in them and knew full well when no one was going to be around.

What might surprise him the most, however, is that the oil is being taken now.

"I was kind of shocked to see it taken at this low price," he said Tuesday.

Currently, Kansas crude is selling for slightly below $30 a barrel.

Because Brungardt owned the lease in Osborne County and had a half interest in the Russell County lease, the oil loss for him amounts to more than $7,000.

"I'm kinda surprised it took so long for this to happen," Russell County Undersheriff Max Barrett said, noting the recent decline in prices.

Barrett agrees it had to be someone inside the industry.

"It's one of those things where the guys doing this had to know how to do this and how to get rid of it," he said.

In Russell County, it's the only report of its kind.

And that ties back to why Brungardt is hopping mad.

"It's got to be somebody familiar with the lease," he said.

In the Osborne theft, Brungardt said, whoever took the oil had to go to three different tank batteries to get the oil.

"They had to go to all three leases to get 160 barrels," he said.

That most likely means the person had been on-site the day before the thefts took place.

While Brungardt owns all of the Osborne County lease, he owns half of the Russell County lease. When the thefts occurred, he called Prospect Oil and Gas and asked if they would cover half the $10,000 reward on the Russell theft.

"Because I was so upset," Brungardt said of why he was willing to offer $15,000 of his own money. "The way they took the oil. It's someone who knows me."

Brungardt said he's taken steps to protect against theft, specifically his pumper is keeping close watch on the leases and gauging the tanks every day.

Anyone with information about the thefts can call the Russell County Sheriff's office at (785) 483-6694, the Osborne County Sheriff's office at (785) 346-2001 or contact their local police or sheriff's department, which can forward the information.