Two men charged with using skimming devices at Pittsburgh-area grocery stores

SCOTT TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) — Two men have been charged with placing skimming devices at several local grocery stores.

Court records show that for about a week and a half, people using the Shop ‘n Save store in Scott Township may have been subject to credit card fraud after store employees found a skimming device.

Vincent Bellini of Shadyside, who was a victim of fraud himself, wasn’t too surprised when he learned of the news.

“My credit card has been canceled multiple times because of this,” Bellini said.

But it frustrated him and Judy Partridge of Scott Township.

“That really worries me,” Partridge said.

Court records show that on July 9, Scott Township police went to a grocery store on Washington Pike after an employee found a device attached to a card reader.

After reviewing surveillance footage, they discovered the suspects had placed the device on June 28 and were able to track them down. They learned that Lower Burrell and Penn Hills police had responded to similar incidents at local Community Supermarkets.

At least two departments identified the same suspects as the two men and charged them with conspiracy. They were eventually arrested in Bellevue on July 18.

Investigators said they provided false identification and were likely in the U.S. illegally.

The suspects introduced themselves as David Lechner and Thomas Fuchs. Lechner is from Romania and his real name is Alexandru Dumitrescu.

Lechner told police that Fuchs paid him $500 a week for the truck, that he knew Fuchs had placed the skimming devices, and that another crew had removed them.

Police also determined that the vehicle they were traveling in had been traveling through California, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia over the past few weeks.

Customers are pleased the men have been caught but are still unsure whether their data is safe.

“It’s an ongoing problem,” Bellini said.

The men are scheduled to appear in court on the Scott Township charges at preliminary hearings Aug. 1.