Deputies: Suspects steal IDs, make over $100K fraudulent charges on South Sound victims
PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. - Three suspects were arrested for stealing the identities of 22 victims in the South Sound and making more than $100,000 in fraudulent credit card charges.
Pierce County deputies received an online police report Jan. 9, alleging a victim’s mail had been stolen, and that $6,215.18 in fraudulent charges had been made on their credit card at Home Depot. Another $2,638.90 charge was made at Lowe’s, but was declined.
The victim reported to authorities they had video of the suspect vehicle.
Property crime investigators called Home Depot and got surveillance video of the suspects making the $6,000 purchase—two men and one woman. The video also showed the same suspect vehicle captured on video by the victim.
Authorities identified all three suspects, who were arrested together a short time later.
Deputies impounded their truck and served a search warrant. Inside, they found documents belonging to identity theft victims, and recovered stolen checks totaling up to $121,193.81. They also found a detailed notebook of victims’ social security numbers, credit card numbers, emails, tax ID numbers and more.
The sheriff’s department identified and contacted 22 victims.
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One of the men, a 29-year-old, was charged with first-degree identity theft and first-degree organized retail theft. Authorities say he posted the $25,000 bail and is not in jail. Charges are pending for the other two suspects.