Officials warn of increased thefts at gas pumps across United States

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Officials across the country are warning consumers about an increase in thefts at gas stations.

Surveillance video showed a suspect in action. In the video, a man is seen sneaking out of his car quickly and snatching a woman's purse before she even notices.

But that's just one threat at gas stations because the other is skimming. Surveillance video showed a thief breaking into a gas pump where he had installed a device to steal or skim credit card information off the magnetic strip. "Although this is inconvenient, instead of paying at the pump, you may want to just go inside the store and have them swipe your card in store,"

Security officials also recommend choosing a pump close to the attendant because thieves normally set up out of sight.