Nebraska Woman Charged with Felony Theft for Gas Pump Scam

A Nebraska woman has been charged with felony theft for allegedly exploiting a glitch at a Lincoln gas station, costing the company nearly $28,000.

Officials reported the arrest of the 45-year-old woman on March 6. Prosecutors claim she abused a rewards card system by swiping twice, enabling a pump demonstration mode where gas was available for free.

Bosselman Enterprises, the company that manages Pump & Pantry in Lincoln, reported the issue in October. The software update in November 2022 inadvertently allowed repeated swipes to activate the demo mode.

A probable cause statement indicated that one card was used frequently for this fraud. Authorities traced the card back to the suspect using surveillance footage, capturing her multiple times from November 2022 through June 1.

In addition to benefiting personally, authorities allege the woman permitted another individual to use her card for discounted fuel, reportedly charging $500 for gas valued at approx. $700.

The investigation revealed the card facilitated 510 free gas transactions, totaling over 7,400 gallons.

The suspect awaits a court hearing on April 11 and remains free on bond. Efforts to contact her attorney were made Tuesday.