NEWARK, NJ – A former gas station attendant from Monmouth County has been accused of stealing thousands of dollars from customers. Patrick Brown, a 48-year-old resident of Newark, was indicted by a grand jury on 52 counts, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago announced in a news release on Wednesday. The charges against Brown include 13 counts each of third-degree credit card fraud, third-degree false uttering, third-degree theft, and fourth-degree credit card theft.
The thefts, which took place at a Wawa located on Route 9 North in Freehold Township, occurred during a limited time period in August 2023. Brown would take a customer’s credit or debit card, swipe it through a device attached to his personal cellphone, and then use the cards for legitimate gas purchases. Following a similar pattern, investigators noted that the fraudulent transactions deposited hundreds of dollars into Brown’s bank account. Santiago stated that Brown faced criminal charges the same week the initial theft was reported, with additional offenses added as more victims came forward.
Brown is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, May 6, for the pending charges. Freehold Township police have encouraged anyone with information about Brown or who believes they may have been a victim of fraud to contact the authorities at 732-252-1950.