Romanian men accused of planting credit card skimmers in Frazer, Monroeville now charged in Washington County

Two Romanian nationals accused last month of planting skimming devices at Sam’s Club stores in Allegheny and Butler counties were charged this week with targeting a store in Washington County.

South Strabane police filed criminal charges against Colceag Constantin, 41, and Raul-Mihani Cojucaru, 40, after a skimmer was found on a self-checkout register at the Sam’s Club in Trinity Point Shopping Plaza. The pair were arrested in connection with a similar incident last month in Frazer.

According to township Detective Kenneth Torboli, the skimmer was discovered by store personnel May 20 after going undetected for nearly four days.

Torboli said in court documents that store video surveillance from May 16 showed the men installing the device at the register. Torboli said he consulted Frazer police, who initially arrested the pair.

Frazer police arrested the men May 20 for installing a skimming device in a self-checkout lane at the Sam’s Club at Pittsburgh Mills.

They have been held in the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh since their arrest after failing to post $25,000 bond each.

According to online dockets, Constantin and Cojucaru waived their rights to a preliminary hearing Monday before Cheswick District Judge David Sosovicka in the Frazer case and will stand trial in Common Pleas Court.

Since their arrest, online dockets indicate the pair were charged by Monroeville police with installing a skimming device at a gas pump at the Sam’s Club on William Penn Highway, and Ohio Township police charged them with installing a skimming device at the Sam’s Club on Mt. Nebo Pointe Drive.

Police in Butler Township told the Tribune-Review last month they believe the pair also installed a skimmer, confiscated May 23, at the Sam’s Club in Moraine Pointe Plaza. Police reported the men were captured on store video installing the device before their arrest in Frazer.

However, online dockets indicate no criminal charges have been filed in that case.

Police also said they uncovered passports, fake IDs and several electronic devices, including a laptop, during the investigation.

Police say skimmers are fashioned to look like a store’s regular credit card reader. They are placed on top of the existing card reader to capture and store credit or debit card information so it can be retrieved later by thieves and used to make illegal purchases.

Police have been warning customers who frequented any of the targeted locations to check their bank and credit card accounts for irregular activity.

In June 2018, Gov. Tom Wolf signed legislation making possession of a card skimmer a felony.