Former Gas Station Manager Stole $20K In FL Lottery Tickets: Reports

ENGLEWOOD, FL — A former gas station manager was arrested for stealing $20,000 worth of Florida lottery tickets from his former employer in Englewood, reports said.

Naveen Gupta, 48, of Bradenton was arrested and charged Monday with grand theft, Charlotte County court records.

Deputies responded to the Marathon Gas Station at 2741 Placida Road on June 11 after owners found an accounting discrepancy connected to scratch-off tickets totaling $20,100, the Port Charlotte Sun reported.

The owner suspected Gupta, the only other employee with access to activate scratch-off tickets, ABC 7 reported. He was also seen randomly disabling cameras during his shifts.

He brought some of the stolen tickets to be cashed in at a Publix on Placida Road, reports said.

Gupta also reportedly asked his boss to rehire him so that he could pay back the debt, which the owner refused.

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