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Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Deputies were dispatched to Murphy's Oil west of Independence, Kansas for a report of criminal damage on Tuesday. A release from the Sheriff's Office late Thursday stated that security tapes from the business identified the perpetrator as 31-year-old Fredrick Tracewell of Dewey, Oklahoma. Tracewell allegedly attempted to set the gas pumps on fire after cutting the hose with a hatchet-type tool. Once he was taken into custody, a search warrant was granted to search his property.

During the search, Deputies located what they believed to be the hatchet used to cut the hose on the gas pump as well as methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Tracewell was booked into the Montgomery County Department of Corrections. Deputies are recommending charges of criminal damage to property, attempted arson, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.