WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KTVU) - Authorities are seeking information about two suspects who planted financial information-stealing devices at East Bay grocery stores. Agents with ICE's Homeland Security Investigations are looking into devices that were placed at Walnut Creek and Dublin Safeway locations in September.
On Monday authorities asked for the public’s help to identify a man suspected of planting a skimming device at a Walnut Creek grocery store.
According to ICE, video at the Safeway store in Walnut Creek shows a suspect remove from under his jacket and install it at a checkout stand.
A store employee was in line and reported the suspect to store security.
Safeway alerted all of its Bay Area stores.
An identical device was located at a Safeway store in Dublin.
According to ICE, both devices were removed before consumer data was compromised.
The suspect in the Walnut Creek incident is believed to have been driving a Toyota Corolla.
Skimming devices, which can sometimes be accessed remotely, are mechanisms that can covertly swipe credit and debit card information.
Investigators believe the incidents are related to information received in July that people were attempting to install Bluetooth-enabled skimming devices at gas stations and retail stores.
Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact HSI’s 24-hour toll free tip line at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423).