Credit Card Fraud Victim: Options for investigation/prosecution?

Factual Questions
1

A close friend was recently the victim of credit card “skimming.” (When a dishonest cashier secretly swipes a credit card through a small device that records the information and then later uses or sells the info to make fake credit cards.) Thankfully she won’t have to pay anything since the CC company is waiving the charges. But the total was less than the company’s minimum for which they will do a full investigation.

My friend is understandably angry that someone would do this to her, so despite not being liable for the charges, she wants to make sure the person responsible is found and punished.

She has the exact times and locations (all in-state) where the cloned card was used. She has all the reciepts for all the legitimate purchases she ever made with the card. Given enough time and access to security tapes, it should be possible for someone to find the face of the person using the card. Assuming of course that the card was used by the skimmer and not sold, given a good picture of that face and the legitimate reciepts, and enough time, one could check with all the places that the card could have been skimmed and ask if they recognize the person in the picture, which would lead to at least a search warrant or arrest.

Is there any way to actually get the cops to do this? Or would they dismiss it, since no damages were done to her and they have too much else to do? Would the average non-cop be able to do it? (Would Home Depot or somesuch allow a random person off the street to review their security tapes?)

Ultimately, I don’t think there’s much that can be done, but it rankles both of us that someone can do this and get away with it.

2

Presumably, your friend has filed a police report.
So, one would imagine that at the police department, any balls that will roll are in fact already in motion.
Your friend also has the option of contacting the manager at the store in question, and handing over copies of all evidence related to this incident to the store management. There is a substantial chance that the store manager or a detective employed by the store will review the records and surveillance systems of the store and determine the name of the individual who engaged in this fraudulent activity.
If the store succeeds in determing the identity of the culprit, they will fire the person in question and they will likely attempt to press charges.
I will point out that it is possible that the evidence available to the store may not be enough to prosecute with. Knowing who done it and being able to prove to a jury that they done it are two separate things.
As an aside, I would caution you not to assume that a skimmer was used. The computer network operated by the retailer may have been hacked, and the card number illicitly compromised in that fashion.