Law enforcement officials are warning travelers heading into Arizona about gas station skimmers that are being placed onto gas pumps to steal money from your credit and debit cards.
Multiple skimmers have recently been discovered at two separate gas stations in Glendale. The first one was found on August the 7th at 51st Avenue and Glendale, the other was found on August the 9th at 51st Avenue and Peoria.
The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office released a warning about the issue saying a skimming device was also found at the Bowlins gas station in Picacho. The gas station is located off Interstate 10, south of Eloy.
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The PCSO has released a picture of the men who deputies say placed the device on at least one gas pump in July, which you can see in the video above.
The gas skimmer technology allows the suspects to collect your credit card information whenever you use it to pay at the pump.
Michelle Wilson, who is a representative for Arizona Weights and Measure Division, says that, "In this case, when the criminals returned to pick up the number that's when we got the picture."
According to the PCSO, the men pose as either gas station or gas pump repair employees when they visit the stations to place the devices on the pumps.
"Criminals can open those dispensers and install a skimming device in the internals within seven to eight seconds," Wilson said.
Wilson also explained that these criminals will use a car in an attempt to conceal their actions from cameras and the cashiers, which block the visibility of what they are placing on the pumps.
"Sometimes they'll have two people; someone inside the store distracting the cashier," Wilson said.
A total of 40 skimmers have been found this year in Arizona.
<a href="https://agriculture.az.gov/weights-measures/fueling/skimmers">Click here for a full list of the locations of the devices from ABC15.</a>
Investigators also believe that the Pinal County case is connected to various crimes in both the Phoenix and Tucson areas.
"Some of them are bluetooth enabled so they don't have to come back and get them, they just have to drive in proximity and download the data," Wilson explained.
If you recognize any of the men in the video or if you feel as if you've become a victim of these crimes you're urged to contact the Attorney General’s office at 602-542-7942.
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