By Wendy Anders

Late Sunday afternoon, police observed suspicious activity at an automated teller machine (ATM) near the National University campus in downtown Heredia, Costa Rica which led to the detention of two men, said Pablo Calvo, Public Security Ministry spokesman, yesterday in a press conference.

After observing the men leave the ATM and then head to another nearby ATM, police intervened and in a cursory search of their vehicle, found two devices used for “skimming,” which involves using an device placed in an ATM to lift credit or debit card information that can then be used to falsify cards.

The men, Daniel Timmis (22) and Christian Mijahil (26), are of Romanian descent; their migratory status is currently under investigation while the men are being held in police detention, said Calvo.

Video cameras at Heredia ATMs show images the two men entering on several occasions over the past four months, as well as their vehicle, which Calvo said is strong evidence the men are connected with at least 35 cases of ATM card fraud over the past several months in Heredia alone.

An additional 25 cases of similar skimming activities are under investigation in Limón, and it is unknown whether the Romanians are connected with these, or whether they are part of a larger network conducting such fraud in the country. Calvo said police believe there are others operating skimming devices in the country, which are very difficult to detect, and are often installed together with micro-cameras that can record a person’s PIN when they enter their code to withdraw funds or conduct other transactions.

Calvo said an estimated C75 million (or upwards of US$131,000) has been stolen in this manner in recent months.

Police are awaiting information from immigration to determine how long the men have been in the country, said Calvo.