BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- During the month of December, detectives from the Bakersfield Police Department said they discovered credit card information was likely being compromised at local convenience store gas station pumps.

The information obtained was later used, by the offenders, to conduct purchases at Target and Walmart stores located in other California cities, Detective Fred Calvillo said.

On Tuesday, detectives narrowed their focus to three local convenience store/gas stations. An inspection of each station’s gas pumps resulted in the seizure of a credit card skimming device which had been secured inside one of the business’ gas pumps, Calvillo said.

Calvillo said, the service station from where the skimming device was seized was unaware of the device being embedded in the gas pump and not involved in this offense.

The BPD issued a warning that the public should be informed skimming device crime has become common place at convenience/service station pumps.

Suspects who commit such crimes often target service stations which are not open 24 hours each day, Calvillo said.

"Since the skimming devices are embedded inside the gas pumps," Calvillo said. "Crimes are often undetectable by business employees and patrons."

The BPD recommends that payment for gas be conducted inside at the cashier’s counter instead of at the gas pumps.

ABC23 spoke with the BPD and they would not release the locations of the gas stations that had the skimming devices installed.

Anyone who believes they have been a victim of this type of crime, which has not yet been reported, is urged to contact Detective Miller at (661) 326-3552.