Last week, two men were caught in the act of placing credit card skimming devices at multiple grocery store locations, sparking concern among shoppers and store owners alike. According to KDKA Radio, an alert employee discovered a skimmer at Community Supermarket in Lower Burrell. Surveillance footage later implicates the men installing a similar skimming device at other stores, including a Shop 'n Save in Scott Township.
Police took into custody Thomas Fuchs and David Lechner, the latter being a Romanian national who provided a false name, subsequently identified as Alexandru Dumitrescu. Having been arrested while driving a black Volkswagen that had traveled through multiple states, from California to Virginia, the details of their wide-reaching operation began to unfold as mentioned by WTAE. Charged with conspiracy, both men lacked valid identification and purportedly used false documents.
At the Community Supermarket in Lower Burrell, proprietor George Thimons expressed relief that vigilant employees discovered the skimming device before any patrons' information was compromised. Customer Eddie Kaminski has been frequenting the store for years. Observed by security cameras, the culprits' scheme was thwarted, amplifying awareness of this persistent threat to financial security.
Pennsylvania State Trooper Steve Limani offered advice on how customers can guard against skimmers, emphasizing vigilance when using unattended card machines. As allegedly used by the criminals across different states, descriptions of the men and their vehicles helped connect the dots between various incidents. Limani suggested that anyone noticing something amiss should compare the machine to others and report if something appears loose or improperly attached, "because those machines should be very intact", Limani explained, according to WTAE.
