Bloomingdale’s store is scene of burglary

Costa Mesa police arrested three men on suspicion of commercial burglary and use of counterfeit credit cards Thursday evening at South Coast Plaza, police said Friday.

The suspects fled from Bloomingdale’s to an awaiting vehicle because their transaction was taking longer than normal, Sgt. Bryan Glass said.

Acting on a tip from a Bloomingdale’s employee, police stopped the suspects as they were exiting a plaza parking lot. Officers discovered about 30 fraudulent credit cards and miscellaneous credit and debit card counterfeiting equipment in the vehicle, Glass said.

Cristian Manolache, 31, of Las Vegas, Florian Boldoni, 27, of Fountain Valley, and Dan Bercean, 27, of Peoria, Ariz., are being held at the Costa Mesa City Jail on suspicion of commercial burglary, conspiracy, identity theft, use of counterfeit cards and possession of card counterfeiting equipment.

At this time in the investigation, police do not suspect Thursday’s burglary is related to recent credit card fraud at area Arco gas stations, in which thieves have placed scanning devices over debit card payment machines to capture card information to be used in producing phony cards.

The U.S. Secret Service has been notified and is assisting in the ongoing investigation, police said.

Anyone with information on the suspects or the investigation is asked to contact Det. Eugene Kim at (714) 754-5364.