Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs Director Ronald Heinzman and Lakehurst Borough Police Chief Matthew Kline announce the identification of a person in connection with allegations of consumer fraud being committed at the Fuel 4 Gas Station located at 99 Route 70, Lakehurst.
Lakehurst Police initially notified the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs after receiving a complaint that a consumer may have been a victim of the use of a “skimming device” at one of the gas pumps. A skimming device is 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.
These incidents began in August of 2023 and the last complaint was reported in April of 2024. Heinzman 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.
Consumer Affairs Investigators and Lakehurst Police learned that the management of the gas station terminated the individual’s employment in April when they became aware of his alleged actions. The current owner of the business who was cooperative with this investigation called the former employee up on the premise that he was getting his old job back. When he arrived at his former job location, he was later greeted by Consumer Affairs Investigators and Lakehurst Borough Police. After an on-scene investigation, information was developed that the individual now identified as Sukhchain Singh allegedly took consumer’s information from their credit card purchases, photographed it, and made thousands of dollars in personal purchases with the consumer’s credit card information.
Chief Matthew Kline said Singh was taken into custody without incident and later charged by Officer Christian Hernandez with fraudulent use of a credit card and theft. Chief Kline said Singh was later taken to the Ocean County Jail in Toms River pending a bail reform hearing. Singh who at one time had a previous Lakehurst address was currently staying in the Brooklyn, N.Y. area and here on a passport from India.
Chief Kline and Director Heinzman noted this is the perfect example of interagency cooperation where both departments worked together to identify the person allegedly responsible and attempt to bring relief to the consumers affected. (An actual skimming device was ruled out.) Chief Kline advised his charges have been transferred to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office for further action.
Singh was charged on a complaint/summons with five counts of fraud (Civil) 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. Laura Comer Esq., Prosecutor for the O.C. Department of Consumer Affairs is handling the Consumer Affairs matters for the County.
Anyone with information regarding this case can reach out to Officer Christian Hernandez of the Lakehurst Borough Police Department at (732) 657-7811 or Investigator Anthony Fontana of the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs at (732) 929-2105.