Full Notification

On 10/11/18 the manager of the Valero Gas Station located at Hwy 12 and Siesta Way in the Sonoma Valley reported she had located a possible credit card skimmer. During the investigation the Deputy recovered five credit card skimmers from several different gas pumps from the Valero Gas Station and the Beacon Gas Station located across the street. It appeared two credit card skimmers had already been removed by the suspects prior to the report. The skimmers which were recovered by the Deputy are currently being processed by the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit. As of this time it appears the credit card skimmers might have been in in place and working since October 5th 2018. Credit card skimming is a form of theft by which credit card information is stolen with just a small bit of technology, typically installed at the credit card terminal in the gas pump. Thieves install “skimmers” or devices to read and save card information undetected. This information is later used for fraudulent credit activity or sold on the dark web. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office is encouraging customers who have used either gas station while paying at the pump with a credit or debit card to cancel their credit or debit card, and monitor their credit card statements and banking records for fraudulent activity. If you are a customer of these two gas stations and you have located fraudulent activity after October 5th 2018 please call Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Investigations at 565-2185 and refer to case # 181011-023