Three days and hundreds of gas stations later, a team of investigators discovered and removed dozens of card skimmers from gas station pumps across Hillsborough County.

According to a news release, the sheriff’s office teamed up with the Tampa Police Department and the Florida Department of Agriculture for “Operation Skimmer Sweep,” inspecting thousands of gas pumps for signs of tampering.

“Our detectives are proactively taking steps to protect the citizens and those visiting us here in Hillsborough County,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said. “At this time, we do not believe anybody’s personal information was compromised.”

From fingerprints, deputies say they identified one suspect – 41-year-old Lester Echemendia Tapia. He was charged with possession of a skimming device, trafficking in counterfeit credit cards and fraudulent possession of personal identification information.

Lester Echemendia Tapia, 41 (Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office)

The sheriff’s office says the skimmers were found at the following locations:

• 711: 3444 W. Columbus Drive 
• Super Kwik BP at 8001 Gibsonton Drive 
• Excel Food and Gas at 6118 S. Dale Mabry Highway
• Race Fuel/Shell at 5100 E. Adamo Drive 
• 7Eleven at 13220 US Highway 301 South
• 7Eleven at 5125 West Cypress Street
• Touchdown/Marathon at 19707 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard
• 7Eleven at 8801 Memorial Highway 
• Orient Mobile at 7209 E. Hillsborough Avenue 
• Mobil Mart at 6005 Big Bend Road
• Food and Things at 2010 N. Wheeler Street 
• Sunoco at 6602 E. MLK Jr. BLVD. 
• 7Eleven at 1020 South Kings Avenue 
• Citgo at 503 N. Parsons Avenue 
• Bhavya Inc. at 7711 Causeway Blvd. 
• Shell at 2104 E. SR 60
• 7Eleven at 1606 S. Parsons Avenue 
• 7Eleven at 909 S. 78th Street
• 7Eleven at 3629 E. SR 60 
• 7Eleven at6008 West Linebaugh Avenue 
• C and BRI Enterprise Inc. at 10016 McMullen Road

The sheriff’s office urges people to look for evidence of tampering before using a card at a gas pump and to contact law enforcement if they notice anything suspicious.