Deja Vu at Valero Gas Station in Sierra Madre – 15 Cases of Fraud Reported thus Far

Larry Giannone, Sierra Madre Chief of Police tells Sierra Madre Weekly that SMPD is “working with the Secret Service again on this case and so far we are up to 15 victims. We wanted to get the word out early so people could check their accounts and put a stop on the fraudulent charges early on.”
On December 27, 2011, Sierra Madre Police Department Officers were initially called to investigate vandalism at the Valero Gas Station located at 4 N. Baldwin Ave. The investigating officers found one of the gas pump doors pried open and evidence that a “fraud skimmer” had been placed inside the gas pumps and then had been removed.
On January 5, 2012 community members started reporting to the Sierra Madre Police Department that their credit card or ATM cards had been compromised and that they had made recent purchases at the Valero Gas Station.
This is a very similar to the crimes that took place in 2010 where “fraud skimmers” were placed inside the gas pumps at the old EVG Gas Station located at 50 S. Baldwin Ave.
The Sierra Madre Police Department and the United States Secret Service are jointly working on these new cases as well as the old cases.
Anyone who has purchased gas from the Valero Gas Station from December 1, 2011 thru December 27, 2011 and used a debit or credit card at the pumps should check their bank statements and report any misuse or fraud to the Sierra Madre Police Department at (626) 355-1414.

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