'Skimming' suspects: Snohomish County thieves victimize Bainbridge Island mom; detectives seek public's help

bainbridge skimmersWANTED IN BAINBRIDGE ISLAND --
Joellen O'Reilly was getting ready to take her son and his team to Seattle for indoor baseball practice when she got an alarming call from BECU.  Thieves were cleaning out her account, using the numbers on her debit card.

"It was terribly surprising, terribly upsetting and I didn`t realize that somebody, that people could do that that easily," said O'Reilly.

The crooks were caught on camera withdrawing almost $2,000 at ATMs in the Marysville, Smokey Point and Arlington areas.  One is a man 25 to 35 years old. The other is a woman with darker hair who tried to use her hoodie to hide her face.  Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound is offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 to anyone who can identify them.

Bainbridge Island Police say O'Reilly may have been the victim of skimming. She only used her card and pin at a few places in Poulsbo but that's across the water from where she lives.



"Before you put a credit card into a machine, check to see if it looks askew or something`s different or amiss from what you`re used to," said Det. Aimee LaClaire with Bainbridge Island Police.

O'Reilly did get a refund from BECU after five days but changing all her automatic payments was a hassle.

"A lot of people think it`s a victimless crime because the victim  gets the money back, but it`s really not. The victim is very much taken aback by the situation and it`s a nuisance, it feels violating," said LaClaire.

It certainly left O'Reilly a little scared.

"Really what it`s made me, unfortunately, is just a little more distrustful and a little more afraid and I don`t want to be like that," she said.

If you can identify the two suspects, call an anonymous tip into:
CRIME STOPPERS: 1-800-222-TIPS

You must call the Crime Stoppers hotline with your tip to be eligible to receive a cash reward for information leading to a fugitive’s arrest.

CLICK HERE for information on how to TEXT A TIP to Crime Stoppers.