BRIDGEPORT, CT — Police are asking for the public’s help to identify a suspect who placed a skimming device on a credit card reader at a supermarket Wednesday morning.
The incident occurred at the Gala Foods supermarket at 1050 East Main Street at around 10 a.m. on June 17.
The suspect attached the skimmer to a credit card reader while purchasing items, according to the Bridgeport Police Department.
The suspect paid with an authentic $100 bill to distract the cashier.
Loss prevention officers stopped the suspect, who then removed the skimmer and fled the store with the device in his pants pocket.
Anyone with information is asked to call Financial Crimes Detective Frank Podpolucha at (203) 395-6359.
The department is advising citizens to be aware of skimming devices whenever they swipe a credit or debit card, or use an ATM, and to report anything suspicious to store employees, store management or the bank in which they are using the ATM.
Citizens can also call the Bridgeport Police non-emergency number at (203) 576-7671 if they are at a stand-alone point of sale terminal.
Skimming devices are often placed on top of the card reader and can make the reader look normal, but bulky.
The skimmers capture the credit card information of customers.
Suspects then sell that information or make fraudulent credit cards using the stolen data.
Skimming crimes are perpetrated by individuals, as well as organized gangs.
Newer so-called “shimming” devices are also being used to steal information on credit card chips.
