Two Arrested After Skimming Device Found on Sterling ATM in Stony Point

Stony Pointers, if your bank is Sterling National and you used the ATM recently, it might be a good idea to check your bank account and make sure nothing funny has been going on.

On Wednesday, Stony Point PD announced the arrest of a Queens and a Manhattan man on charges related to the placement of a “skimmer” on an ATM machine at the Sterling National Bank on Rt. 9W in Stony Point. Roberto Lombardi, 35, of Queens and Daniele Cassano, 31, of Manhattan, were each charged with criminal mischief in the second degree, grand larceny in the third degree, grand larceny in the fourth degree, identity theft in the third degree, possession of forgery devices, possession of burglar tools and possession of a forged instrument for their alleged role in the crime.

SPPD said that the arrests actually took place on Saturday, February 20. The police first received a report that something might be amiss on Tuesday, February 16. Officers responded to # 153 S. Liberty Dr. (Sterling Bank) with regard to a complaint involving the tampering of an ATM machine at said location.

Responding officers, along with the SPPD Detective Bureau determined that a “skimming device” had been placed at said bank by unknown person(s). Said device was removed and taken as evidence, thus commencing an investigation.

In the early morning hours of February 20, an alert officer observed a male in the wooded area adjacent to the Sterling Bank. The subject was stopped and subsequent to investigation, another subject was found parked in a parking lot adjacent to the bank as well.

Officers observed in plain view what appeared to be skimming devices inside the vehicle. The subjects were taken into custody, a search warrant was obtained for the vehicle and the above listed subjects were arrested and charged, as stated above.

The subjects were arrested, processed, arraigned and remanded to the RC Correctional Facility in lieu of $500,000 bail. The defendants were arraigned under the names they provided, however, an investigation is continuing to verify their actual identities.

The Stony Point Police Department is being assisted with this follow-up investigation by state and federal law enforcement partners. Lombardi was identified as the subject involved in the original case on February 16 in Stony Point and both Lombardi and Cassano have been identified as being involved in two Orangetown cases.

The investigation is continuing and charges are likely to be filed in Orangetown, as well.

The Stony Point Police Department is being assisted by the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department and B.C.I., Rockland County Intelligence Center, the Orangetown and Clarkstown Police Departments, the NYPD Intelligence Bureau, the State Department, Immigration and Customs and the Department of Homeland Security.