Man arrested in ATM skimming spree across Long Island

Gabriel Olaru, 30, was arrested after police were called to the 7-Eleven on Flanders Road in Flanders on Tuesday to investigate a skimming device attached to the ATM, officials say.

News 12 Staff

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May 25, 2017, 3:45 PM

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Updated 2,776 days ago

Police arrested a man Thursday who they say placed credit card information-stealing devices at nearly two dozen locations across the Island.

Gabriel Olaru, 30, was arrested after police were called to the 7-Eleven on Flanders Road in Flanders on Tuesday to investigate a skimming device attached to the ATM, officials say.

The devices, which steal and store bank account data, need to be removed to retrieve the information. Police say Olaru came to remove the device Wednesday morning and was taken into custody.

Southampton Town Police Chief Steven Skrynecki says Olaru may be responsible for installing skimmers at ATMs across the Island: 11 in Nassau and 10 in Suffolk.

As News 12 Long Island has reported, police have been pursuing this serial ATM scammer since January.

Police have now involved the FBI, believing Olaru could be linked to an international criminal organization.

Skrynecki says a background check through the Department of Homeland Security says Olaru is Romanian, and is in the U.S. on a visa that has expired. He also said that there are indications he is an associate of a group doing this type of activity in Michigan.

Olaru has not been charged with all 20 incidents. Nassau and Suffolk police say they are still investigating and will be interviewing him shortly.