Athens-Clarke police have accused Demetrius Antwon Lumpkin, 38, of East Athens, of fraudulently purchasing nearly $9,000 worth of diesel fuel over several months from two gas stations located on U.S. Highway 29.
Lumpkin, who has been charged with eight counts of felony financial card fraud and two counts of identity theft, was arrested on March 28. He was denied bond by Magistrate Court Judge Kelly Wegel, who deemed him a flight risk and a potential threat for committing further crimes.
While police have confirmed Lumpkin’s involvement in the fuel theft, they have yet to comment on what happened to the hundreds of gallons of diesel he allegedly stole. The investigation suggests that a stolen FedEx fuel card was used to carry out many of the fraudulent fuel purchases at Circle K and RaceTrac gas stations on U.S. Highway 29 North.
The thefts are believed to have started in December, with the most recent incident occurring on March 25, just days before Lumpkin’s arrest. According to police, the manager of the Circle K station reported a white pickup truck that used a stolen credit card to purchase $857 in diesel fuel. The same truck was also involved in a fuel theft on March 20, where it was seen pumping fuel into a large water container in the truck bed.
The manager of the Circle K store attempted to capture a photo of the truck’s license plate, but it was covered with tape. However, investigators were able to track the vehicle using FLOCK cameras, and the license plate was eventually uncovered, leading to Lumpkin’s identification.
Lumpkin’s arrest came after police gathered evidence from the gas stations and linked him to the stolen credit card and multiple fraudulent transactions. The investigation into the thefts is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge as the case progresses.
