FREDERIKSTED — One man and one woman in St. Croix have been charged with skimming credit cards of $71,000 at three ATM bank locations on St. Croix.
Luis Manuel Arias Alvarez and Daymarie Roque-Guerrero were arrested and charged with grand larceny, obtaining money by false pretenses, identity theft, and access to computer for fraudulent purposes, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
Detectives from the VIPD’s Economic Crime Unit began an investigation into Arias Alvarez and Roque-Guerrero on Wednesday, according to the VIPD.
VIPD mugshot of Luis Manuel Arias Alvarez on St. Croix.
“The investigation revealed that Luis Arias Alvarez and Daymarie Roque-Guerrero were part of an online scheme via the Retiro Movil Platform,” VIPD spokeswoman Kishma Chichester said.
On several different occasions Alvarez and Roque-Guerrero were observed on Banco Popular surveillance cameras using Retiro Movil Platform at the Banco Popular ATM machines in Orange Grove, Sunshine Mall and the Sunny Isles Branches where they were able to gain access to the Mi Banco Online platform and were able to withdraw funds from the ATM machine from accounts that belonged to Banco Popular customers, without the individuals permission, causing Banco Popular a loss totaling $71,000.00, according to Chichester.
On August 11, 2023, at approximately 3:55 p.m., detectives from the Virgin Islands Police Department’s Economic Crime Unit received a tip that Alvarez was pacing around the area of
Banco Popular, Orange Grove Branch, then left the area and was walking towards Pueblo
Golden Rock. Subsequently, Alvarez was then detained and transported to the Wilbur H.
Francis Command Police Station and was placed under arrest, without incident. RoqueGuerrero was picked up at her residence and also transported to the Wilbur H. Francis Command Police Station and placed under arrest, without incident.
VIPD mugshot of Daymarie Roque-Guerrero on St. Croix.
Alvarez and Roque-Guerrero were booked and processed at the Wilbur H. Francis Police
Operation Building in Frederiksted. Bail was set at $20,000.00, for the alleged crimes.
Unable to post bail Alvarez was remanded to John A. Bell Adult Correctional Facility,
pending his Advise of Rights Hearing scheduled, for Monday, August 14, 2023, at the
Superior Court.
Rogue-Guerrero was released on a ten percent bond in the amount of $2,005.00 which was set and granted by the Honorable Judge Alphonso G. Andrews, pending her Advise of Rights Hearing scheduled for Monday, August 14, 2023, at the Superior Court.