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Kenneth Franke, 57, was charged with theft by unlawful taking following a two-year investigation, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Friday, Dec. 6.
Investigators said Franke had been illegally obtaining lottery tickets without paying for them. The incidents reportedly occurred between January 2022 and December 2024 at Wawa locations in Lacey Township and Barnegat.
Detectives established surveillance on Franke at a Wawa in Barnegat on Wednesday, Dec. 4. He was seen taking multiple tickets from a vending machine without paying.
Franke was arrested at the convenience store. He was served with a summons and released from custody to await a court appearance.
The New Jersey Lottery Commission helped county and Barnegat investigators with the case.
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