ATM Skimming Probe Leads To Gas Station Employee In Lakehurst: Police

LAKEHURST, NJ — An investigation into a credit card fraud has led to charges against a man who worked for a Lakehurst gas station, authorities said.

Sukhchain Singh was arrested recently following the investigation that started after Lakehurst police received a complaint that a consumer may have been the victim of the use of a "skimming device" at one of the gas pumps at Fuel 4 Gas Station located at 99 Route 70, Lakehurst, authorities said.

Singh, who is in the United States on a passport, had an address in Lakehurst and was living in Brooklyn, N.Y. at the time of his arrest, according to the joint news release from the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs and Lakehurst Police Chief Matthew Kline.

Lakehurst police contacted the county consumer affairs department after receiving the complaint about the possible skimming device, a small device that thieves place on or above the card readers at gas pumps or ATMs to copy and steal consumer credit card information, authorities said.

The incidents began in August 2023 and the last complaint was filed in April 2024, authorities said.

The Division of Weights and Measures, under the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs, routinely inspects gas pumps throughout Ocean County and if a skimming device is identified, the local police department/or Prosecutor’s Office is notified, said Ronald Heinzman, director of the consumer affairs department.

Investigators learned the management of the gas station had fired Singh in April when they became aware of his alleged actions, authorities said.

The investigators then worked with the current owner of the business, who called Singh on the premise that he was getting his job back. When Singh arrived, he was met by Consumer Affairs investigators and Lakehurst police.

The investigation at the gas station revealed Singh had allegedly taken customers' information from their credit card purchases, photographed it, and made thousands of dollars in personal purchases with their credit card information, authorities said.

An actual skimming device was ruled out, authorities said.

Singh was arrested without incident and charged by Officer Christian Hernandez with fraudulent use of a credit card and theft, Kline said.

He also was charged on a civil complaint summons with five counts of fraud by Investigator Anthony Fontana of the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs and faces up to $50,000 in fines if convicted on the fraud complaints, authorities said.

Kline and Heinzman said the investigation was the perfect example of interagency cooperation to identify the person allegedly responsible and attempt to bring relief to the consumers affected, authorities said.

Anyone with information regarding the case can contact Lakehurst Police Officer Christian Hernandez at 732-657-7811 or Consumer Affairs Investigator Anthony Fontana at 732-929-2105.