Gas Station Worker Steals Money Using Cranston Police Charge Card

Cranston Police have cracked plenty of embezzlement cases over the years, but it's not often that they're the victims of the crime.

But, according to Cranston Police Capt. Sean Carmody, an employee of the General Oil Service Station on Gansett Avenue did such a thing.

The gas station is used by Cranston Police to fill the tanks of their patrol cars and police said Joshua S. McCombe, of 575 Dyer Ave., Cranston, was stealing money out of the cash drawer by charging the city's Exxon/Mobil charge card at the service station.

McCombe then allegely took the exact amount of money he charged to the city's charge card out of the cash drawer, leaving his drawer balanced at the end of his shift.

Police caught on to McCombe's alleged scheme after a confidential source alerted police that gasoline purchases were being made using the card.

Det. Robert Grasso of Cranston Police investigated and over the course of 72 hours, he determined that nine fraudulent charges were made between 4:51 p.m. and 7:53 p.m. from Dec. 12 to 13. McCabe was behind all the transactions.

Additional evidence confirmed that McCabe was taking cash out of the drawer to match the charges.

"Detective Grasso received detailed historical data from Exxon/Mobil Fleet Manager which produced evidence and obvious patterns of criminality," Carmody said. "On some evenings, charges were being assessed to Officers identifying information on their scheduled days off."

McCombe was arrested on Dec. 19 and reportedly gave a full verbal and written confession.

He was charged with embezzlement, fraudulent use of credit cards, obtaining money under false pretenses and larceny over $1,500. 

Police continue to investigate and "the city intends on recovering all lost funds resulting from McCombe's criminal acts," Carmody said.