A 31-year-old man from West Palm Beach, Florida, has been arrested by the Fairview Township Police Department in Pennsylvania, charged with installing illegal skimming devices at a gas station in New Cumberland Borough. Identified as Jorge Yandi Cabrera-Tapanes, the alleged suspect was apprehended after an investigation into two malfunctioning fuel pumps in February led to the discovery of skimming devices concealed within the pumps, as reported by ABC27 News.
According to the WGAL News 8, a skimming incident on Limekiln Road on February 7 was linked to Cabrera-Tapanes through the analysis of DNA evidence obtained from the devices and surveillance footage. Police learned that Cabrera-Tapanes, while installing the illicit devices, also had been involved in a scheme involving the purchase of diesel fuel with fraudulent bank information, as captured in investigations across multiple jurisdictions, reported PennLive.
Early in August, an alert was issued by York County Regional Police after a similar skimming device was found inside an ATM, warning the public about the potential hazards posed by these devices at ATMs and gas stations. The Federal Trade Commission advises vigilance, suggesting consumers look for signs such as misalignment between the card reader and panel underneath, which can indicate tampering, as noted by ABC27 News.
An affidavit revealed that on February 7, a technician discovered broken security seals on two gas pumps at a 7-Eleven, leading to the discovery of the skimming devices, according to PennLive. After capturing DNA on one of the skimmers, the Pennsylvania State Police confirmed on April 4 that it matched Cabrera-Tapanes's profile. Here, police on February 15 said they reviewed security footage showing a dark-colored SUV parked suspiciously at the pump, which had been blocked from view by the doors on the driver's side.
Cabrera-Tapanes was charged with using a device to record, read, or obtain encoded information and using an unlawful device. After posting $25,000 bail on July 23, his preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 25.
