The video shows that it took less than 2-3 seconds for one of the crooks less to install the card skimming device on top of the terminal, even having time to spare before the clerk’s attention was returned to him.
The incident took place last week, Wednesday, March 9, 2016, at around 9:30 PM, at the gas station situated at Chevron at 1453 Alton Road, according to Miami Beach police. The two crooks entered the gas station store and approached the clerk to buy various items. CCTV footage shows one man speaking to the worker at the cash register, appearing to direct the attendant’s attention to the other end of the counter, while his partner pulled a skimming device shaped in the form of the card terminal and put it on top of the device in a matter of seconds. “They speak with the cashier, they have some sort of exchange, it appears as though one actually sends her to the other end of the register, I would imagine, to purchase something,” Miami Beach Officer Ernesto Rodriguez told WSVN. The two crooks then casually walked out of the store once the act was done. Fortunately, the clerk of the gas station was able to notice the card skimming device as it had moved slightly away from its original position. They called the police afterwards. “This type of reader, what I’ve been speaking with our detectives, we actually believe it’s the type of reader that the criminal would have to come back for to actually get the information that would have been read.” Even though the skimming device was up within few hours, the crooks were not able to collect too much data from the gas station’s customers. The two might have hundreds or thousands of such devices from where to collect credit card details considering that it took only a few seconds for them to install it. Officer Rodriguez urged cardholders to regularly check their statements and report any potentially fraudulent charges they found. Anyone who has information on the two crooks is requested to contact Miami Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.
