Skimmer found at Roanoke BP gas station

ROANOKE, Va. – On Thursday afternoon, pump seven at the BP gas station at the intersection of Orange Avenue and King Street was working just fine.

The pump had been shut down since Tuesday until it could be inspected after the blue inspection tape on the pump was found to have been cut and an electronic skimming device was installed on the pump

Police say the pump was last known to be inspected on July 9 and an employee found the pump tampered with Tuesday.

It wasn't until today that it was inspected by the Division of Weights and Measures within the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Skimmers are devices that steal your credit card information.

While you likely won't ever see a skimmer, cut inspection tape is a sign the pump has been tampered with and could have a skimmer. 

The gas station attendant declined to be interviewed Thursday.

Roanoke City police did not provide any details about the skimmer.

Nearby in Vinton, skimmers have been found at gas pumps in the past.

Vinton Police Department Detective Brandon Hill says tracking down a suspect can be difficult.

"The only thing we can really do when we recover one is just to test it for DNA and fingerprints," Hill said.

Skimmers can be bought online and are not illegal to own, only illegal to use.

"It's very easy to go online and buy packs of these things for at a pretty cheap price, so we're seeing them everywhere," Hill said.

If you notice any suspicious activity on your bank account, and you've gotten gas at the BP gas station recently, contact your bank immediately and contact the Roanoke City Police Department.

Police say this is an ongoing investigation.