BAKERSFIELD — A 44-year-old man suspected of embezzling property from a large oil company is behind bars after being arrested in Bakersfield on October 8.
Gary Lumpkins Jr. was booked into the Kern County Jail for embezzlement and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Rural Crimes Investigation Unit, Lumpkins was the main suspect in a three-week long investigation that began back on September 17, into a report that an employee of Aera Energy in Bakersfield had embezzled property from the company.
Investigators said that during their investigation they were able to determine that Lumpkins had made numerous purchases of equipment and supplies on Aera accounts.
With that evidence, detectives obtained a search warrant which they served at Lumpkins residence. During their search of the home, investigators said they located numerous items of stolen property, as well as additional Aera property and a firearm found inside two storage units and a shop. Officials said the total value of the recovered items of stolen property exceeded $60,000.
