Teens Charged In Mansfield ATM Skimmer Case: Cops

MANSFIELD, MA — A teen was caught installing a skimmer at a local ATM, police said.

On Dec. 28 at 11:41 a.m., Mansfield Police received a call reporting a young woman who placed an item on the ATM in the store. Responding officers identified the device as a skimmer.

Area business, including Sunoco, Mobil, Rite Aid, and CVS checked for skimmers and came up clean. The Bank of American ATM near Tedeschi was checked as well, police said.

At 12:22 p.m. a caller at Kirley Stove and Masonry on West Church Street told police that a teenage boy and girl asked to stay in the office so they could stay warm while waiting for a ride. The two then went into the business's middle garage and a white minivan came into the property and turned around. The caller was not sure if the teens left in the van, according to the Mansfield Police Log.

The van and a teen matching the description of the suspect at Cumberland Farms was located by police. The 17-year-old was charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, credit card fraud over $250, and unauthorized use of credit cards. The other two teens, 14 and 16 years old, were charged with credit card fraud over $250, misleading an investigator, and unauthorized use of a credit card.

Skimming devices to capture data on ATM and credit cards have been a problem throughout Massachusetts. The device connects to a card reader and allows a thief to illegally collect the credit and debit card information of unsuspecting customers. Most commonly, card skimmers are put on ATMs, gas station pumps or self-checkout machines.

Due to the suspects' ages, no other information is available.

Reporting by Alex Newman was used in this story.

Image: File Photo