New warning after 9 skimmers found inside local gas pumps

SKIMMERS PLACED INSIDE GASPUMPS IS A GROWING SCAM ACROSSTHE STATE.

THIS WEEK - NINESKIMMERS WERE FOUND IN OURAREA.

WPTV NEWSCHANNEL 5'SRYAN HUGHES WITH THE NEWWARNING - AND WHAT YOU NEED TOLOOK OUT FOR.<< STEVEN CIRAOLO HAS BEENREPEATEDLY VICTIMIZED AT THEGAS PUMP...HIS INFORMATIONSTOLEN NOT ONCE...BUT THREETIMES BY THIEVES.

THEIRWEAPON...A GAS SKIMMER.

"I PUTMY CARD IN THERE AND NOT EVENA MONTH LATER I'M SEEING $100,$150 AND $200 BEING TAKEN OFFMY CARD." HE SAYS ALL THREESKIMMERS WERE FOUND EARLIERTHIS YEAR AT THIS BP GASSTATION IN LAKE WORTH.

"THESTUFF THAT'S GOING ON WITH ALLTHE NEW ELECTRONIC STUFF ISMAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TODO THINGS." NOW - THEOKEECHOBEE SHERIFF'S OFFICE ISISSUING A WARNING AFTER NINESKIMMERS WERE FOUND ON EIGHTGAS PUMPS AT THE MARATHONSTATION ON STATE ROAD 70 EASTAND SW 24TH AVENUE.INVESTIGATORS SAY THIEVES AREBUYING REPLACEMENT CIRCUITBOARDS, ATTACHING THE SKIMMERSAND REPLACING THEM INSIDE THEPUMPS.

"I'VE ALWAYS GONEINSIDE EVER SINCE I'VE HEARDABOUT THE SCAMMING I DIDN'TWANT TO SUCCUMB TO THENONSENSE." STATEWIDE - THEDEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ANDCONSUMER SERVICES TELLS USFROM 2015 TO 2019 THERE HASBEEN A 815% INCREASE IN THENUMBER OF SKIMMING DEVICESFOUND.

AND IN OUR 5 COUNTYVIEWING AREA....136 DEVICESWERE DISCOVERED LASTYEAR...WITH THE MOST IN PALMBEACH AND ST LUCIE COUNTIES.