FREEPORT, Texas – A ring of sophisticated thieves is targeting Buc-ee's. However, high-quality video and images from the store's surveillance system could be key to arrests.
"We need them off the street as soon as possible," said Capt. Ray Garivey of the Freeport Police Department.
Investigators identified a woman and three men caught on camera as members of a sophisticated, professional identity theft ring that has been ganging up on Texans' favorite beaver.
In video released by Freeport police, the suspects appear to be customers shopping on their own dime.
"I'm not sure why they would be targeting Buc-ee's," Valeria Hamid, a Buc-ee's customer said. "I don't know what that's about."
Detectives said the group first steals credit card numbers, and then, with cloned cards, the group shops.
In one month, they have visited 14 Buc-ee's stores from Temple to Freeport. They're buying cigarettes by the carton. So far, they've stolen nearly $18,000 dollars' worth.
"They have a hell of an operation," said Buc-ee's customer Jay Martin. "That's absurd, though. They (are) taking innocent people's money."
Nine different police agencies need help stopping the ring.
"We are all asking for help from the public in identifying these folks," Garivey said. "We can get them off the street. We need to put an end to this because people are suffering, not only Buc-cee's but the individuals they're stealing identities from."
For now, police are sharing video from Buc-ee's high-definition cameras that are in all of their stores and above every gas pump. Those cameras gave detectives clean looks at four suspects. Authorities hopes someone sees the video then helps end the spending spree.
Most victims can simply refuse the charges on their credit cards, but Buc-ee's can't. Eventually, costs may fall on customers.
"There's no way in my mind (the suspects are) just doing Buc-ee's," Garivey said. "If they're doing one business, we're almost positive they're others."
