Man accused of robbing gym members in Peekskill

PEEKSKILL, N.Y. (WABC) -- He looks like any other guy, on his way to work out, but New York State Police say don't be fooled.

He's struck numerous gyms in several states stealing gym members' credit cards and running up huge bills.

State police say they know who they're looking for and this isn't his first brush with the law. He's wanted in at least two other states for similar crimes.

At the Planet Fitness in Peekskill, there signs alerting people to the presence of surveillance cameras, but that didn't stop a thief who broke into several lockers there last month.

The cameras did capture a grainy image of the suspect, but police now have a clearer picture of who they are looking for.

His name is Eric Dabney and investigators say his M.O. is simple.

The 38-year-old goes to gyms and purchases a day pass, then heads to the locker room.

"Cut a lock off, rifle through the locker, take credit cards, seal it with another lock, leave the place and go to either Wal-Mart or Best Buy and buy hundreds of thousands of dollars on the credit cards of electronics," said Richard Mollica, of the New York State Police.

Dabney is wanted on 13 warrants in Pennsylvania, Ohio and in the Buffalo area.

The suspect has hit several Planet Fitness and LA Fitness clubs.

When it comes to storing valuables in lockers, people Eyewitness News spoke to ran the gamut.

"Sometimes I'll leave my phone in there and my car keys, which isn't smart, but when you are lifting weights it's annoying having a lot of stuff in your pockets," said Ryan Otis, a gym member.

"For all my life I never put stuff in the locker, especially if I don't have a lock, because someone can just break in and take it," said Justin Bednau, a gym member.

"Surprising, but in these days and times anything could happen," said Michael Myers, a gym member.

Meantime on Staten Island, the NYPD is looking for a suspect in a number of similar incidents.

A Planet Fitness on South Service Road and the LA Fitness gyms on East Service Road and Richmond Avenue have all had their lockers broken into.

State police say the Staten Island thief is not Eric Dabney, but are investigating whether it is someone working with him as part of a ring.

"It is a possibility that there are multiple people doing this," Mollica said.