NORTHFIELD, N.J. (WPVI) – An Atlantic County supervisor and three of his business employees have been charged in a gas theft scheme from a county public works facility, according to authorities.
Joseph Ridley, 47, of Mays Landing, is accused of orchestrating the theft while serving as a supervisor for the Atlantic County Roads and Bridges Department. Ridley also owns a transportation company, Z5 Logistics, which prosecutors say benefited from the stolen fuel.
Officials allege Ridley provided the access code to the county’s fueling station in Northfield to employees of Z5 Logistics, enabling them to illegally fuel company trucks at the taxpayers’ expense.
The scheme came to light last Wednesday when county public works staff witnessed a box truck refueling at the facility. The driver fled when approached, raising red flags. On Monday, three Z5 Logistics employees were caught in the act at the same gas depot and taken into custody.
Ridley has since been suspended without pay, pending the outcome of the prosecutor’s investigation, according to Atlantic County Public Information Officer Linda Gilmore.
When reporters attempted to reach Ridley at his home, no one answered. Neighbors expressed frustration over the allegations.
“You can’t trust anybody these days,” said Brady Edwards, a local resident. “Honestly, it doesn’t surprise me with the way things are going.”
“There are a lot of hardworking people out there, and then you see something like this,” said Janeen Luma, another neighbor. “You just never know what people are capable of.”
The exact amount of fuel stolen remains unknown as the investigation continues.
All four individuals have been released on summonses and are expected to appear in court at a later date.
