Cerritos Man Arrested In Connection With ATM Scam in Rancho Mirage

A 43-year-old Cerritos man and his accomplice are behind bars today on suspicion of skimming debit card information from an ATM machine in Rancho Mirage, according to police.

The suspects, Timothy Vaughn of Cerritos, and Jonathan Aguilar, 32, of Hesperia were arrested at Chase Bank located at the corner of Bob Hope Drive and Gerald Ford Drive in Rancho Mirage about 2:20 p.m. on Sunday, April 29, said Rancho Mirage police Sgt. Andrew Nielsen.

The pair was booked into the Indio jail for burglary, theft of credit information, conspiracy, and identity-theft related charges, Nielsen added.

Nielsen said Rancho Mirage police investigators were conducting surveillance on a skimming device being used on the bank’s ATM machine on Sunday when they observed the two men, who had been seen at the bank numerous times throughout the day, return to the bank and remove a device from the ATM.

Investigators immediately detained the suspects as they entered their vehicle. Items consistent with a credit card/ATM card skimming scheme was found inside the vehicle, according to police.

Investigators are working with the bank to identify those who used the ATM while the device was in place, Nielsen said, adding that the customers' information does not appear to have been compromised.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Investigator Freeman at (760) 836-1600 or (760) 836-3215 or Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-STOP.