Feb 26, 2009 1:55 pm US/Central
2 Women Arrested In ATM Scam
Women Had Been Promising 'Good Time' Or 'Ride'
CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) ―
Two women were arrested early Wednesday for allegedly
stealing cash using a stolen debit card at a Near North Side Jewel grocery, but police do not believe they were involved in a string of similar incidents.
The women, both 23, were arrested about 3 a.m. Wednesday at the Jewel grocery at 1210 N. Clark St., according to police, who said they remain in custody but had not been charged as of Thursday afternoon.
Police said the women were allegedly spotted several times using a stolen credit card in the self-check out lanes, each time getting $100 cash back after a small purchase like gum or soda.
A security guard called police, who arrested the women -- one who of whom was still inside and the other outside running away, police said.
They had allegedly stolen about $1,000. Both have prior arrest histories with Chicago Police.
Police said Thursday afternoon the pair are not believed to have been involved in similar incidents described in a community alert issued by Belmont Area detectives Wednesday. The alert was issued after a man met two women outside a River North bar last month and later discovered his bank debit card missing and $8,600 withdrawn from his account.
Detectives said there have been numerous such incidents downtown and on the Near North Side in which men have been approached by women "offering a ride or a good time."
The women convince the victims to withdraw cash from an ATM, watch him enter his PIN and later take his card without his knowledge and use it at self-checkout lanes at the Jewel stores at 1224 S. Wabash Ave., 1210 N. Clark St. and at Ohio and State.
In last month's incident, after the women got the man's card, they purchased a low-priced item at the South Wabash Jewel, then depleted the man's bank account by $8,600 by withdrawing cash in $100 increments, the alert said.
Police advise men to be alert to suspicious people extending invitations to "go for a ride" or who offer a "good time." Additionally, police advise against carrying an excessive amount of cash and/or credit cards.
"It's the perfect crime,'' according to a police source, who said the crimes are hard to prosecute for at two reasons.
The victims often don't want to come forward because they don't want their names used, especially if they are married; and the amounts are not significant enough for the bank to aggressively seek action.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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