- Dawn Thompson, 45, has been charged with felony theft after allegedly exploiting a glitch that allowed her to pump gas for free
- A second woman allegedly paid Thompson $500 for $700 worth of gas
- The fuel pumps at Pump & Pantry in Lincoln, Nebraska, received a software update in November 2022 that caused the issue
A Nebraska woman has been arrested after allegedly using a sneaky trick to pump more than 7,400 gallons of gas for free over six months.
Dawn Thompson, 45, allegedly used a rewards card 510 times between November 2022 and June 2023, pumping 7,413.59 gallons of gas worth $27,860.27, according to the affidavit.
She allegedly exploited a pump glitch that allowed her to swipe a rewards card twice, switching the pump from regular mode to demo mode. From there, she pumped gas for free.
Staff at Pump & Pantry in Lincoln, Nebraska, first reported someone involved in ‘some sort of fuel scam’ back in June last year, according to KOLN.
During the investigation, it was revealed that the fuel pumps received a software update in November 2022, which caused the glitch.
Dawn Thompson, 45, has been arrested after allegedly using a sneaky trick to pump more than 7,400 gallons of gas for free over six months at Pump & Pantry(pictured) in Lincoln, Nebraska
Thompson allegedly used a rewards card 510 times between November 2022 and June 2023, pumping 7,413.59 gallons of gas worth $27,860.27, according to the affidavit
Lincoln Police got a call from a loss prevention manager at Bosselman Enterprise in October last year, saying someone had been participating in a fuel scam.
The manager discovered the system update had allowed people to enter the pump into a demo mode and pump free gas.
One card had been consistently used to pump gas for free, and surveillance footage also captures the woman refueling her vehicle multiple times.
Authorities later identified 45-year-old Thompson by tracing the card’s information.
Between November 13, 2022, and June 1, 2023, Thompson’s rewards card was allegedly used 510 times, including multiple swipes on the same day.
Investigators also talked to a second person who allegedly used the card last year. The unidentified woman claimed she paid Thompson for using the card to get ‘discounted fuel.’
Staff at Pump & Pantry in Lincoln, Nebraska, first reported someone involved in ‘some sort of fuel scam’ back in June last year
Thompson allegedly exploited a pump glitch that allowed her to swipe a rewards card twice, switching the pump from regular mode to demo mode. From there, she pumped gas for free
She allegedly paid Thompson $500 for $700 worth of gas between ten uses, the affidavit reads.
According to the woman, Thompson sold the card sometime in June last year, before the pump glitch was fixed on June 1st.
During an interview, Thompson said she received the card in lieu of payment from a man paying off a car debt. The man died some time before January this year.
On Wednesday, Thompson was arrested at her home and charged with one count of felony theft by unlawfully taking more than $5,000.
Her bond was set at $7,500 and her next court hearing is scheduled for April 11. It is unclear if she has entered a plea at this time.
