14 The Queens Courier • SEPTEMBER 3, 2015 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com Four ATM skimming devices found in past two weeks in 109th Precinct BY ALINA SURIEL [email protected] @alinangelica Police are cautioning the public to be mindful of erroneous charges on their accounts after four ATM skimming devices were found in the past two weeks in the 109th Precinct. Two of the devices were discovered in automated teller machines located inside a Flushing Duane Reade store at 136-02 Roosevelt Ave., according to a statement released over social media by Deputy Inspector Thomas J. Conforti. Two additional devices were found affixed to gas pumps at the gas stations located in Whitestone at 17-55 Francis Lewis Blvd. and on the Bayside border at 29-16 Francis Lewis Blvd. Police said that the devices were respectively discovered by workers at Duane Reade and gas station owners, who then immediately called NYPD to investigate. Deputy Inspector Conforti said police do not know how long the devices were in place. The Inspector further stated that it is usually a couple of months after finding the device that victims may begin to notice suspicious charges on their bank accounts. The NYPD is advising consumers who may have used charge cards on these ATM machines or gas pumps since Aug. 1 to call credit card or bank companies and inform them of cards which may have been compromised. The case is being investigated by the Financial Crimes Task Force. Any suspicious activity or crime should be immediately reported to the 109th Precinct. Photo courtesy of the NYPD An ATM skimming device found in a gas pump on Francis Lewis Boulevard. MACY’S DISCOUNT STORE OPENS AT QUEENS PLACE BY CRISTABELLE TUMOLA [email protected]/@CristabelleT Shoppers looking for a bargain will have a new place to shop in the borough starting on Sept. 2 as Macy’s opens a discount store at Queens Place in Elmhurst. Macy’s Backstage, a new off-price store that the retail brand opened in three New York Metro area locations on Sept. 2, debuted at the mall with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and marching band, according to a Macy’s spokeswoman. “We are very excited to be debuting Macy’s Backstage store for shoppers in Queens who love fashion for themselves, their families and homes all at a bargain” she said. “Macy’s Backstage will entertain shoppers and will surprise them with designer deals and savings. The store will feature merchandise that will reflect the styles and tastes of the Queens shopper.” Offering discounts at 20 to 80 percent off, Macy’s Backstage will feature both merchandise from previous seasons and newer products. According to the retailer, each store will be curated to the “fashion styles of the community it serves.” Available items will include men’s, women’s and children’s apparel; shoes and accessories; housewares and home textiles; and an assortment of home decor, bath and beauty products, such as nail and hair care, as well as toys, tech products, gadgets and more. The store will also feature a beauty section where shoppers can sample and experiment with cosmetics and fragrances that include premium brands, and a Sunglass Hut outpost. Each Backstage site is expected to give Macy’s shoppers a unique experience from its other stores, as they are a “more intimate venue,” according to retailer, ranging from 25,000 to 35,000 square feet. Macy’s also promises that each one offers an “easy-to-shop store environment,” with mobile check-out stations outside the dressing rooms, and other amenities such as free Wi-Fi, designated charging stations and accessible parking. The other stores that will be opening along with the Queens location on Wednesday are at in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn and Melville Mall in Huntington, Long Island. A fourth location in Lake Success Shopping Center in New Hyde Park, Long Island, will be opening on Sept. 19, and two additional stores in the Fordham section of the Bronx and Essex Green, NJ, will debut in late fall. The selection of Queens Place as one of the first Backstage stores is particularly fitting, as the shopping center was constructed as a Macy’s in the mid-1960s. Though the store later relocated to the nearby Queens Center mall, Queens Place still houses a Macy’s Furniture Gallery. THE COURIER/File photo
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