| Gridley-Biggs
Police arrested a Yuba City man who used the numbers from
debit and credit cards of mini-mart customers to dip into
their bank accounts, according to police.
Jos Van Hout, a crime investigator from the Butte County
District Attorney's Office, assisted the police in serving a
search warrant on a clerk at the Fastrack Mini Market on
Highway 99 in Gridley, according to a press release from the
Gridley Police.
"He's an expert in the field, and that's why we had him
assist us," said Lt. Brian Cook.
On Tuesday at 2:35 p.m., officers served the warrant and
arrested Jaspal Singh, 19, of Yuba City for multiple counts of
identity theft and theft by use of a debit or credit card,
according to the press release.
"We encourage anyone who used a debit or credit card at the
store since early April of 2005 to check their bank and credit
card statements," Cook said in a telephone interview. "We
believe there's more victims out there who don't know they've
been defrauded."
Singh used customer's credit and debit card numbers to
debit their accounts at the store, then he took an equivalent
amount of money from the register, Cook said.
The investigation began about a month ago when victims
began reporting unauthorized debits from their accounts from
Fastrack. Police seized store receipts and bank documents.
Officers also found a lap-top computer and store receipts
inside the suspect's vehicle.
Singh had 76 credit card numbers in his wallet. A search of
his Yuba City home led to the recovery of store receipts
containing credit card numbers.
The police department has confirmed 13 victims with a loss
of about $1,050 but think there are more. They encourage
people who used a card to buy gas at the store to check their
bank statements.
Anyone who is a victim can call Detective Hameed Khan or
Sgt. Price who are investigating the case, (530) 846-5678.
Singh was booked into the Butte County Jail.
Investigator Hout advises people to have a special credit
card with a maximum $500 credit limit to use at restaurants,
gas stations or retailers where employees could copy credit
information.
The lower credit limit lowers the loss risk for the credit
card holder as well as banks and merchants who might be liable
for unauthorized purchases.
"This helps the merchant and the bank," Hout said.
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