The Waynesboro Police Department has arrested two Northern Virginia men on a multitude of credit card theft charges stemming from an elaborate credit card skimming operation that spans numerous states up and down the East Coast.
Already several Virginia jurisdictions have joined the Police Department’s investigation in this case.
On February 8, the Augusta County Sheriff’s Department notified Waynesboro Emergency Operations Center that the two had just attempted to purchase several gift cards at the Fishersville Food Lion, 30 Winward Drive, but the transactions failed. Sheriff’s deputies and police officers located the two in a vehicle on West Main Street and stopped it.
Wayne Patrick Smith III, 21 years old of Woodbridge, and Nicholas Johnathan Bridge, 26 years old of Alexandria, face 10 felony charges each from Waynesboro. The charges are a result of over 30 gift card found in the two men’s possession. Officers were able to use a credit card reader to determine that all gift cards were illegally obtained.
Smith and Bridge face 10 charges each of a violation of §18.2-192, credit card theft. Smith faces an additional felony charge of perjury. The two men also face charges from the following localities: the cities of Salem, Lynchburg, Roanoke and the counties of Bedford, Campbell and Pittsylvania.
They are currently being held at Middle River Regional Jail on bond.
The Waynesboro Police Department believes there are other victims who haven’t realized their credit cards have been compromised. Officers recommend that citizens with credit or debit cards check their statements routinely by using credit card customer service websites.
Anyone with information in this case is asked to call the Waynesboro Police Department at (540) 942-6675 or Central Shenandoah Crime Stoppers at 1(800) 322-2017. Information given to Crime Stoppers may be given anonymously. Callers with information that lead to an arrest in this case are eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000.
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Chris Graham
