The Hamilton Police Service Major Fraud Unit, with the help of CIBC Bank investigators, have arrested two suspects believed to be Ontario’s most prolific bank machine skimmers.

The two suspects are believed to have skimmed more than 300 credit cards during their crime spree, costing numerous financial institutions about $50,000 in associated fraud losses.

HPS Major Fraud Unit and CIBC  investigated 29 incidents of bank machine tampering over the past six months in Hamilton and across southern Ontario.  Through that investigation, two suspects were identified.

On Jan. 27,  CIBC security observed a suspect enter the CIBC location at 75 Centennial Pkwy. in Eastgate Square and tamper with one of the automated teller machines.

Police were notified and a suspect was arrested while in the act of installing a skimming device.

Laurentiu Girdea, 38, of Hamilton, is facing 96 criminal charges including fraud, possession of a device for forging credit cards and unlawful possession of credit card data.

The suspect had arrived at the scene in another person’s vehicle, which was  towed following the arrest.

The following day, the lead investigator from the Major Fraud Unit and a CIBC investigator attended the Girdea’s bail hearing and recognized a second suspect in court from a previous surveillance video.

The suspect had attended the bail hearing to inquire about his vehicle, which had been towed after the arrest.  The second suspect was arrested in the courthouse.

Petre Marin Ispas, 49, of Hamilton is charged with possession of a device for forging credit cards and fraud.

The Niagara Regional and Waterloo Regional Police Services continue to investigate similar incidents in their regions.

The investigation is ongoing and more charges are anticipated in Hamilton and other jurisdictions.