Authorities are looking for two men in connection with a string of thefts in August involving the use of skimming devices in Arnold and St. Louis County. Arnold Police had investigated the thefts, but the case has been turned over to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Arnold Police Lt. Clinton Wooldridge said.
The first theft in Arnold was on Aug. 21, after a woman’s debit card information was skimmed and then used to withdraw $2,000 from her account in four transactions at an ATM at American Eagle Credit Union, 1334 Jeffco Blvd., in Arnold, a report said.
Arnold Police received eight additional reports of similar thefts involving fraudulent withdrawals at ATMs at Century Credit Union, 3920 Jeffco Blvd.; the U.S. Bank ATM at the QuikTrip gas station, 1069 Jeffco Blvd.; and at First Bank, 3850 Jeffco Blvd. One of the reported thefts occurred on Aug. 2, seven occurred on Aug. 26, and one victim didn’t know when his account had been illegally accessed, according to reports.
Three of the reported thefts happened at the ATM at Century Credit Union, with one man saying $480 was stolen from his checking account, another man claiming $300 was withdrawn from his checking account, and a third man reporting $300 taken from his checking account. The first two incidents at Century Credit Union occurred on Aug. 26, and it was unknown when the third incident occurred, reports said.
Four of the reported thefts happened at the U.S. Bank ATM at QuikTrip with a woman saying $480 was taken from her checking account, another woman reporting $186 stolen from her checking account, another woman claiming $912 was stolen from her checking account and a man saying $483 was withdrawn from his checking account. All of the incidents at the gas station occurred on Aug. 26, reports said.
On Aug. 31, a man reported that $343 was withdrawn from his account Aug. 2 at an ATM machine at First Bank.
Wooldridge said Arnold Police have not recovered any skimming devices used to obtain the victim’s information, but suspects were seen on surveillance footage at area banks and gas stations.
“We would caution the public to be observant when using ATMs or any device where you are going to enter a credit or debit card,” Lt. Clinton Wooldridge said.