Nineteen people have been arrested in a PIN pad theft ring operation across York Region.
Between the fall of 2022 and spring 2023, York Regional Police (YRP) identified an increasing series of commercial break and enters happening in Vaughan, according to a news release on Friday.
The suspects were targeting small businesses with point-of-sale devices (PIN pads). Police said the suspects would watch the business during the day to confirm if it used PIN pads, then return at night to break in and steal it.
“The suspects would then use the machines to fraudulently issue refunds to themselves using PIN pad access codes that were visible on the terminals, making a substantial profit. On one PIN pad alone the thieves were able to access $50,000 worth of fraudulent refunds,” police said.
In May, officers executed five search warrants in Toronto, including a location that was being used as a clubhouse by the suspects. Police ultimately seized nine gaming machines, an ATM machine and numerous PIN pad devices.
Nineteen people were arrested and a total of 89 charges were laid, including Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence, Commit Indictable Offence for a Criminal Organization, Break and Enter and Theft Over $5,000.
Police have released photos of two outstanding suspects and are urging them to turn themselves in. Police did not identify their full names.
YRP said this type of crime is an increasing concern in York Region and the GTA. Police are advising businesses to treat their POS device like cash, keep PIN pads out of sight when not in use, hide PIN pad access codes, check POS devices daily for signs of tampering, and to change the factory password.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact YRP’s #4 District Criminal Investigations Bureau, Property Crime Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7445, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.1800222tips.com.
