Troy Police: Identity Thieves From Chicago Working Somerset Mall Arrested

TROY (WWJ) - Police in Troy are warning shoppers to keep track of their wallets and not to carry a lot of credit cards after recently nabbing a group of identity thieves from Chicago.

Police Captain Bob Redmond says the group stole a wallet, then a purse, and set up shop in a van parked at Somerset Mall. Inside that van, they quickly made credit cards and rang up $20,000 in purchases.

It's not the first time they've stumbled upon crews from Chicago.

"This happened a multitude of times," says Redmond. "You are talking obviously a high-end mall at Somerset and I don't know how many more are on that route from Chicago to here."

They were arrested when they returned to the van.

"We found evidence in the vehicle to indicate that there were 40 or 50 more victims of identity fraud -- just based on the tape we received from the car during an inventory search that showed their names -- this is throughout the country, they had information on people," said Redmond.

Redmond warns: "don't hang your purse on the your chair and put your coat over it -- keep it in your hands, in control all the time. Don't carry every credit card you have in your purse or in your wallet."

Four people have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. A fifth person is expected to plead guilty next week.