DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Delray Beach police say a pair of would-be crooks were caught in the act installing illegal credit/debit card skimming devices at a gas station.
Police said the owner of a Chevron, located at 445 SE 6th Avenue, got an alert on his phone around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 14 that the door switch had been activated on one of the gas pumps.
When a door switch is activated, that means the gas pump door is physically opened, the owner said.
Officers said they responded to the gas station and located a Hyundai Tucson SUV parked in front of a gas pump.
Police said the rear license plate was covered with a black cloth, and at least three skimming devices were found inside the vehicle, along with an electric power drill.
Officers made contact with two men at the SUV, 25-year-old Yandy Valina Almentero and 25-year-old Luis Edel Trujillo Pena.
According to police, Trujillo said he stopped at the gas station on his way to Miami, and "he found [the skimmers] lying on the ground by the trash can at that location, so he picked them up and put them in the car," his arrest report stated.
Police said they found a black key in Trujillo's jacket pocket with the name "TuBAR" written on it. Police said TuBAR is a company that makes locking devices commonly used to secure gas pumps.
When asked about the key, "Trujillo stated that it's a key he carries because he thinks its cool," his arrest report said.
Police said they also found a drill bit in Trujillo's pants pocket, which he claimed he was using to build a bed in West Palm Beach.
Officers said the security seals on one of the gas pumps were broken, and the credit card reader on that pump appeared to be brand new, compared to the readers on the other pumps.
Trujillo and Valina were arrested for fraud (possessing or delivering a skimming device), as well as loitering or prowling.
Police said no one's personal information was stolen from the skimming devices.
RELATED: How to protect yourself from credit card skimmers
According to the latest numbers from the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, skimmers have been found at 13 gas stations across the state so far this year, not including the one in Delray Beach.
On Jan. 6, a skimming device was was discovered at a Chevron gas station, located at 970 S. Military Trail in West Palm Beach.
As always, police urge drivers to constantly check your bank and credit card statements and be on the lookout for any suspicious activity.
