Police in Durham Region see PIN pad theft jump more than 1,000%

Police in Durham Region say they have seen a dramatic increase in the number of break-and-enters at businesses with PIN pads.

Durham Regional Police said a 1,100 per cent increase was recorded in 2023 so far compared to the same time in 2022.

Police explained that PIN pad thefts involve using card machines to load transactions from the day onto gift cards, taking money from local businesses.

Local businesses were reminded in a message posted to the force’s Twitter account to disconnect PIN pads and store them in a secure area at the end of every day.