Pearland Police officials report a dozen new cases have been reported in connection with the recent credit card “skimming device” theft at an east Pearland gas station, bringing the total to 36 cases.

In the weeks following the holiday weekend of April 18-20, detectives have been working overtime to investigate a rash of debit card thefts. It is believed a “skimming device” was used to capture debit card information and personal identification numbers from pay-at-the-pump customers at the Murphy Fuel Station located at 3200 Dixie Farm Road.

The stolen information was then used to create “clone” debit cards which thieves used to withdrawal cash from the victims’ accounts.

Police said stolen debit card information has since turned up in Austin, but the majority of the cloned cards were discovered within the greater Houston area. Investigators are working with area law enforcement agencies to determine if there are similar “skimming device” thefts being reported in nearby cities.

Additional surveillance video footage from an ATM where the suspect tried to use several different cards is being processed and will be released in the near future, officials said.