Millbrook Arrest in Dollar General Gift Card Fraud Case Raises Local Concerns

Millbrook Police announced that on January 6 they arrested 23-year-old Amahji Truss of Deatsville and charged her with first-degree theft by deception following an investigation into gift-card preloading fraud at a Dollar General. Detectives tied Truss to a December 15 incident after reviewing surveillance video that showed her involvement in a scheme investigators say involved three suspects.

Police described the method as a coordinated misuse of payment processing: suspects used a debit or credit transaction to obtain cash from the register and then later cancelled or reversed the card portion of the sale, leaving the store to absorb a financial loss. The tactic, commonly called gift-card preloading or transaction reversal fraud, shifts the monetary hit to the retailer rather than the cardholder or payment network.

Two additional suspects remain unidentified. Millbrook Police published surveillance images and asked for public assistance in locating them, urging anyone with information to contact the department. The ongoing search for accomplices leaves the investigation open and highlights the role community tips can play in resolving retail crime.

Truss was taken to the Elmore County Jail on a $35,000 bond. Charging with first-degree theft by deception signals that prosecutors view the incident as a serious financial crime, and the bond level reflects the gravity local authorities assigned to the alleged scheme.

For Autauga County businesses, especially small retailers that operate on thin margins, the incident has immediate practical consequences. Financial losses from fraud can increase operating costs, affect inventory replacement, and contribute to higher insurance premiums. Millbrook Police emphasized the value of surveillance systems and loss-prevention partnerships, advice that police say helped identify at least one suspect in this case.

The arrest also points to broader institutional and policy questions for local officials and business owners. Strengthening cooperation between retailers, law enforcement, and payment processors can improve detection and prosecution of coordinated fraud. Local chambers of commerce and municipal leaders may consider promoting training and resources for loss-prevention best practices to reduce vulnerability across Autauga County.

As investigators continue to seek the two unidentified suspects, the case serves as a reminder that community reporting and robust store security are central to protecting neighborhood businesses from organized forms of theft.