Lottery scratch off tickets
Lottery Scratch Off Tickets

Barnegat man charged with $50,000 theft of lottery tickets

BARNEGAT, N.J. — A Barnegat Township man faces charges of theft after authorities say he illegally obtained more than $50,000 in New Jersey Lottery tickets from vending machines at convenience stores over nearly three years.

Kenneth Franke, 57, was charged on December 4, 2024, with theft by unlawful taking following a joint investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crime Squad, Barnegat Township Police Department, and the New Jersey Lottery Commission, officials announced.

Investigators allege Franke removed lottery tickets from vending machines at two Wawa stores in Barnegat and another in Lacey Township without payment between January 2022 and December 2024. Detectives conducting surveillance on December 4 reportedly observed Franke obtaining multiple tickets without proper payment at a Barnegat Wawa.

Franke was arrested without incident, transported to the Barnegat Township Police Headquarters, and charged via summons. He is set to appear in Ocean County Superior Court at a later date.

Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer praised the collaboration of local and state agencies in uncovering and halting the theft scheme, which spanned multiple locations.

Shore News Network

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.