Thieves use ‘tap’ option on credit cards

Regina police are reminding the public not to leave valuables, including credit and debit cards in their vehicles, after arresting a man on a raft of theft charges.

The 37-year-old accused faces ten global charges related to the unlawful possession and unauthorized use of credit and debit cards. It’s alleged the stolen cards were used to purchase items from local businesses, using the tap function, according to a police news release.

Regina police have seen an increase in thefts using the “tap” function on debit and credit cards. Tap allows the credit/debit cardholder to simply place the card on a terminal to complete the transaction, rather than key in a Personal Identification Number or PIN. Merchants and consumers find it convenient, but so do thieves, say police.

In Regina, many of the cases start with credit/debit cards stolen from wallets left in vehicles, often left unlocked by their owners. Typically, the thief uses the tap function on the stolen credit/ debit cards to make unauthorized purchases in stores. Police are often able to obtain surveillance video from these businesses, but the images alone do not identify a suspect. Even when police can identify a suspect, it doesn’t undo the victimization, note police.

In three recent tap theft cases resulting in charges against the 37-year-old, five different credit/ debit cards were used in 40 transactions at numerous businesses around the city.