Following reports of credit card skimmers by two police departments last week, the Pharr Police Department announced that it arrested two people officers say were caught red-handed at gas pumps swiping credit cards.
Furthermore, the suspects, Port Arthur residents Jorge Ramirez, 32, and Carla Castillo, 24, were in possession of 81 credit cards.
Both the Pharr and McAllen police departments sent out press releases last week warning residents that credit card scammers were operating within both municipalities and McAllen police announced finding the skimmers at four different gas stations.
Following the Saturday traffic stop that occurred at approximately 2:19 p.m. near the Stripes store at Military and Jackson Roads after police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle, detectives responded to the WoodSpring Suites Hotel at 1207 W. Interstate 2 in Pharr where they arrested two more suspects: Houston residents Alfredo Arroyo, 42, and Emmanuel Izaguirre, 38.
“The subjects were running a stolen credit card operation used to steal fuel from local convenient stores and being resold,” police said in a release.
The suspects will be charged with theft of a petroleum product, fraudulent use or possession of credit or debit card information, engaging in organized criminal activity and possession of a controlled substance.
Pharr police say the investigation is active and ongoing and detectives are searching for two more people who may be connected to this case or are operating in a separate group.
One of those people is Cande Rios, age unknown, and another unknown male.
Detectives are also looking for a Black Ford F-150 with the license plate number PJR-2010 and a White Mercedes SUV with the license plate number NDK-0810.
“This group may still be in the area,” police say.
Anyone with any information is asked to call 911 or Crime Stoppers at (956) 787-8477, police said.
