Men Accused Of Installing Card Skimmer Inside Davie Gas Pump
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DAVIE (CBSMiami) - An eagle-eyed Davie police officer stopped two men from installing a credit card skimmer in a gas station on University Drive.
The officer was on patrol last Wednesday around 4 a.m. and spotted two men in a car in front of an outer gas pump at the Marathon Gas Station located at 4450 S. University Drive in Davie. What drew his attention was that car's headlights were on, the passenger side door was open, but they were not pumping gas.
The officer pulled his car around, turned off the headlights, and parked in a nearby lot to see what the men were up to.
One of the men, later identified as 30-year-old Raul Hernandez-Beltran, got out of the car and went inside the store to make a purchase and reportedly distract the clerk.
The second man, later identified as 28-year-old Rafael Mirabel-Bonora, then got out the passenger side, got a tool from the driver's side, opened the pump and began doing something inside it.
When the officer approached him, Mirabel-Bonora began yelling at him in Spanish.
More officers arrived and detained Hernandez-Beltran.
Through the open door of the men's car, police spotted a small electric drill with a star bit. The same type of bit needed to open the lock on the gas pump. They also noticed that the Department of Agriculture seal on the pump had been torn.
When they looked inside the pump they found a credit card skimmer.
In the car they also found a laptop computer, other skimming devices, several gift cards, and even extra Department of Agriculture seals.
Hernandez-Beltran told police had met Mirabel-Bonora years ago in Cuba. He said Mirabel-Bonora was hired him and paid him $100 to drive the car so he could install skimming devices, according to his arrest report. He also claimed this was his first time driving for Mirabel-Bonora and they were caught on their first install.
A check of records showed that Mirabel-Bonora is currently on felony probation for credit card fraud.
Hernandez-Beltran was charged with fraud/using a scanning device to defraud. Mirabel-Bonora was charged with fraud/using a scanning device to defraud and probation violation.