SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Police in South Abington Township said they’ve never seen anything like it.
A high-tech skimming device was installed at a gas pump and crooks have already stolen thousands of dollars.
Victims of the skimming device that someone installed at a Valero in South Abington Township said they never saw it coming.
Most skimming devices these days are visible on the card reader, but this one was actually inside the pump.
“It's sad that in your own neighborhood you can't even use your debit card,” said skimming device victim Luanne Getman.
Getman said $900 was stolen from her account. She recently used a debit card at a Valero in South Abington Township and the skimming device inside the pump took her information.
“It's a huge operation that these people had concocted to be able to do this-this quickly,” Getman said.
Police in South Abington Township said the device was taken out of pump four on Monday. They believe it had been there for about two weeks.
Officers have already received more than 30 complaints about the skimming scam. On average, each person had $1,000 taken from them.
“I'm totally shocked because I go there all the time because it's right around the corner from the street that I live on,” said Lori Patti of Scott Township.
“It hits home that it's happening here and I'm sure I'm going to find out people I know that it's happened to and it's kind of shocking,” said Jackie Graham of Dalton.
Ned Graham is a gas attendant at a different Valero in South Abington Township.
He said whoever installed the skimmer at the other gas station needed to take the pump apart to get inside.
Graham has become extra vigilant at his place since skimming devices have become more and more popular.
“Well this doesn't happen here because we check them twice a day, plus any other times we have to open up the system to put paper in or anything and we have cameras that are on every pump in the place,” Graham said.
Meanwhile, skimming victims such as Getman are hoping for justice.
“I just hope that the people who did this get caught,” Getman said.
Police are working on a number of leads.
If you have any information that might help with their investigation, you’re asked to call the South Abington Township Police Department at 570-586-2111.
