Merrimack Police: Armenian Man Stole Credit Info From Gas Pumps

MERRIMACK, NH - Police said they are urging credit card customers to keep a close eye on their credit after an Armenia man was arrested at a Merrimack gas station for skimming information from gas pumps.

According to Merrimack Police, Shant Sergeyi Bagratyan, 22, of Armenia was arrested for three counts of fraud using a scanning device and disobeying a police officer on Apr. 26.

Police said they responded to a gas pump alarm at the Gulf gas station on Continental Bouldvard in Merrimack and found a white Chevy Suburban parked without any license plates. Police said they located Bagratyan inside the car and asked for identification.

Initially, Bagratyan gave his brothers California driver’s license as identification but after further investigation, he produced a passport with his true identity.

At that time, an employee from the Gulf station arrived and told officers the gas pump had been tampered with. Police said they found a computer ribbon cable on the back seat of the Suburban along with two skimming devices, and a master key to the gas pump.

Police also found a skimmer device located installed on the credit card data port.

Bagratyan was arrested and charged with 3 counts of fraudulent use of a scanning device and disobeying a Police Officer and was held on $10,000 cash bail.

The Department of Homeland Security also placed an Immigration Detainer on Bagratyan as his visa to be in the United States had expired.

Police said they are urging credit card customers to keep a close eye on their credit / debit accounts as evidence obtained indicated Bagratyan may have been working the New England area for several weeks and suspect other gas stations may have fell victim to this crime.

"We are also urging customers to closely look for security tamper proof seals on gas pumps and if they are removed, voided or look to have been reused, to contact the clerk and use another pump," police said in a statement.

Courtesy Photo / Merrimack PD