Two men suspected of attaching skimming devices at ATM machines in Burbank and elsewhere in Los Angeles County were in custody Wednesday after being arrested in Torrance.
An investigation was launched after two suspects installed and removed a skimmer device, used to scan and store credit and debit card information, on three separate days during the week of Aug. 14 at the US Bank branch at 1759 W. Olive Ave., according to Burbank police Sgt. Claudio Losacco.
“The suspects used the stolen account information and created ‘cloned’ ATM cards,” Losacco said. “The suspects withdrew cash from several ATM’s around Los Angeles County.”
He said the actual loss to US Bank and its customers is about $85,000.
“Additionally, there was about $233,000 in declined transactions attempted by the suspects,” the sergeant said. “Over 50 victims have been identified as a result of these incidents.”
On Monday, an employee at a US Bank location at 4350 Pacific Coast Highway in Torrance alerted police that a skimmer had been installed on one of the branch’s ATM’s, Losacco said.
The ATM’s video camera revealed the same suspects from the Burbank incidents had installed the skimmer at the Torrance bank, he said.
Burbank police detectives set up surveillance at the bank and about 11 p.m. Tuesday, the two suspects depicted on the ATM video approached the machine that had the skimmer installed, the sergeant said.
“Detectives contacted the suspects and placed them under arrest,” he said. “The skimmer and a pinhole camera were recovered from the ATM machine.”
The suspects — identified as 42-year-old Ferenc Szekely of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 54-year-old Alexsandru Barbu of Studio City — were booked into the Burbank city jail on suspicion of theft and commercial burglary, Losacco said.
Bail was set at $350,000 for both men, who are expected to make their initial court appearance on Thursday in Burbank, Losacco said.
“It appears these same suspects are likely responsible for similar crimes at other US Bank branches within Los Angeles County, with estimated losses and declined transactions exceeding $500,000,” Losacco said. “Burbank police detectives are working with investigators with other law enforcement agencies to connect Szekely and Barbu to these additional crimes.”
–City News Service