Photo Transit Police
Metro Vancouver Transit Police are looking to identify a suspect believed to have placed credit/debit card skimmers on three Compass Vending Machines (CVMs).
Staff found the card skimmers attached to three CVMs on the Canada Line -- two at Vancouver International Airport Station and one in Vancouver City Centre Station.
Transit police reviewed Canada Line CCTV video and isolated several images of the suspect.
Forensic analysis found that the skimmers were comprised of two parts; the camera portion, which is used to film people entering their cards security PIN and the card reader portion, which collects data from the card.
The card reader was equipped with Bluetooth capabilities with a range of approximately 10 meters. The camera required a micro secure digital card (Micro SD card), which would need to be physically removed from the skimmer in order to retrieve the acquired video.
Transit police say they have not received any customer complaints about compromised cards related to the skimmers, which were removed before the suspect had a chance to return and get their card information but the forensic analysis process is ongoing.
The suspect is described as a white male, 30-40 years old, 6’1” to 6’2” tall, thin build, medium brown hair, longer on the top and shortly shaved on the sides, clean shaven, wearing slim fitting pants, pointed dress shoes, navy blue blazer and carrying a man’s courier bag.
Anyone with information regarding the identity of this suspect or who witnessed this incident is asked to contact Metro Vancouver Transit Police tip-line at 604.516.7419 or text them using code 87.77.77 (ref. file# 2018-12355).
