Crime & Safety

Credit Card Info Stolen in 59 Transactions With Illegal Recording Device: Police

River Forest police charge Arlington Heights man with felony identity theft after he allegedly installed an illegal recording device and camera at an ATM machine at Community Bank.

Police have charged an Arlington Heights man with felony identity theft and felony possession of a scanning device after he allegedly installed devices at an ATM machine to record and steal credit card information in 59 transactions, according to a news release from the River Forest Police Department.

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The Community Bank of Oak Park and River Forest, 7777 W. Lake St., on July 1 reported personnel found an illegal credit card skimming device and corresponding covert camera that had been installed on an ATM machine, which had been active since June 24, police said. 

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The skimming device was designed to record all data from any card that was swiped into the machine, and the camera subsequently captured the card user as they entered their Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) into the machine. The data collected was off-loaded and most likely used to allow those responsible to re-encode a duplicate credit card, according to the release.

Investigators de-activated and re-affixed the equipment on July 1, and saw a man who was recognized as one of the people who applied the camera and skimmer, Stefan-Lorin Barbut, 31, of Arlington Heights, approach the machine around 7:45 p.m., police said. 

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Barbut was arrested after he adjusted the illegal camera and skimmer, police said. 

Police are still looking for the second offender. Barbut appeared for a bond hearing on July 3, 2013 at the Maybrook Courthouse. He is scheduled to appear in court July 11. 

Investigators found 59 transactions that were recorded by the camera and skimmer, police said. 

The Community Bank of Oak Park and River Forest was making appropriate notifications to any affected customers.  


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