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Marcus Sorin Covaci was identified as one of two suspects accused of installing skimmer devices on registers, according to Carlisle and Lower Allen Township police.
The first device was discovered at the Walmart on 60 Noble Blvd. in Carlisle on Monday, Nov. 13. Surveillance footage showed two male suspects loading grocery items onto a conveyor belt at 1:11 p.m. While the cashier was distracted, the men placed a skimmer on the card machine, paid, and left the store, police said.
Then, on Wednesday, Feb. 5, Lower Allen Township officers were dispatched to the Walmart at 3400 Hartzdale Drive in Camp Hill, where another skimmer was found. Loss prevention received an alert from Gettysburg State Police, who had been investigating two men for placing similar devices on registers in Gettysburg, officials said.
Gettysburg officers had already taken Covaci and his juvenile co-defendant into custody when Camp Hill authorities contacted them. Investigators said Covaci was positively identified on video installing the skimmer in the Camp Hill store.
Previous Skimmers Found
Just across the Susquehanna River, another skimming device was found on an ATM at Pennsylvania Central Credit Union in Lower Paxton Township, police announced on Monday, Dec. 2. Officers responded to reports of suspicious activity at the credit union on the 5100 block of Jonestown Road in Harrisburg around 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, and discovered a skimming device on the exterior ATM.
Further east, a credit card skimmer was also found at a Royal Farms store at 2130 West Chester Pike in Marple Township on Saturday, Nov. 9, according to the Marple Township Police Department and as Daily Voice previously reported. Investigators believe the device may have been placed at least a week before its discovery.
Another skimming device was discovered at a Sheetz convenience store in Conewago Township, York County, police announced on Tuesday, Dec. 17. The device was found on an ATM inside the Sheetz at 5235 Susquehanna Trail around 11:15 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 6, after a maintenance worker noticed it, according to Northern York County Regional Police. Investigators said the suspects installed the skimmer earlier that day at approximately 9:50 a.m. It remains unclear how many customers used the compromised ATM before it was discovered. Authorities released surveillance images and are seeking information about the suspects.
Surveillance Images
Authorities released surveillance footage from multiple locations and are asking for the public’s help in identifying those involved. The individuals seen in the Lower Paxton, Marple Township, and York County footage appear similar to the suspects caught on video at the Walmarts, but police have not confirmed whether the incidents are connected.
Arrest
Covaci was arrested on charges including unlawful use of a computer and possession and use of an unlawful device, according to court records. He was lodged at Adams County Adult Correctional Facility following a video arraignment. His co-defendant, a juvenile, was also charged.
Know Something?
Anyone with information is urged to contact police, including:
- Marple Township Incident: Detective Joe McGettigan at 484-427-8173 or by email at mcgettigan@marplepolice.com.
- York County Incident: Northern York County Regional Police at 717-467-TELL (8355) or via email at tips@nycrpd.org (Case reference: 2024-053125).
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