‘Skimmer’ Found On Woodbury ATM

A “skimming” device was found on an ATM at a Woodbury bank last week. Police don’t believe anyone’s financial information was obtained.

A little after 8 p.m. on Sept. 9, a Woodbury resident found something loose on an ATM at the on Valley Creek Road. She discovered the skimmer and turned it in to the .

A skimmer is a device that looks nearly identical to the front of an ATM. It reads the magnetic strip of a banking card, and criminals typically set up a camera nearby to capture individuals’ PIN numbers, said Woodbury Cmdr. Jay Alberio.

“It will complete the transaction like nothing’s wrong,” he said.

The skimmer was on the ATM for about two hours last Friday; as a precaution U.S. Bank officials shut down the cards of the dozen or so people who used it during that time, Alberio said.

Investigators have viewed footage from the camera, which shows the perpetrators wiping down the skimmer, though they are hoping to obtain fingerprints from the underside of the apparatus.

Police are also looking for a white Kia Sorento that may have been involved in the incident.

If people ever notice something loose on an ATM they should tell the bank or contact police, Alberio said, adding that protecting one’s hand while entering a PIN number is also a good idea.

Those with information about the incident are asked to call the Woodbury Police Department at 651-714-3600.