Two Brooklyn Men Busted by Authorities for Installing Skimmer Device on Oceanside ATM

LongIsland.com

Working with the cooperation of the bank, police set up surveillance along with a live feed via the ATM, resulting in the arrests of three suspects.

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NCPD reports the arrests of (L to R) Costel Ionita, 40, Popescu Constantin, 34, and (not pictured) Alexandru Panzaru, 29, all of Brooklyn, for possession of a forgery device that occurred in Oceanside on Wednesday, 9/20.

Photo by: Nassau County Police Department

Oceanside, NY - September 21, 2017 - The Major Case Bureau reports the arrests of three Brooklyn men for possession of a forgery device that occurred in Oceanside on Wednesday, 09/20/17 at 4:00 P.M.
 
According to Robbery Fraud and Forgery detectives, the manager of Ocean Financial Federal Credit Union located at 45 Atlantic Ave., notified police after discovering a skimmer device on their ATM. Working with the cooperation of the bank, surveillance was set up along with a live feed via the ATM. 
 
Fraud/Forgery detectives, with the assistance of the Robbery Squad and Fourth Squad apprehended defendants Costel Ionita, 40, Alexandru Panzaru, 29, and Popescu Constantin, 34, at the scene several hours later, after the defendants removed the device. The skimmer device along with the pin hole camera were all recovered from the ATM and accounts were not compromised as a result.
 
Ionita is being charged with two counts of Possession Forgery Device and Resisting Arrest. Panzaru is being charged with two counts of Possession Forgery Device, two counts of Possession Forged Instrument 2nd Degree, two counts of Possession Burglary Tools and Resisting Arrest. Popescu is being charged with two counts of Possession Forgery Device. All three defendants will be arraigned on Thursday, 09/21/17 in First District Court, Hempstead.
 
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.