Alpharetta PD arrests three for alleged ID theft ring

Alpharetta police cracked the largest identity theft ring in the city's history, they announced Dec. 22.

Arrested were three Russian immigrants who moved to Alpharetta from Los Angeles, said George Gordon, a spokesman for the department.

A fourth suspect is still at large. None of their identities have been released. A press conference is set for 11 a.m. Dec. 23.

Gordon said the arrests were the culmination of a two-month investigation focusing on the suspects. Investigators raided the men's Alara apartment Dec. 10 and seized nearly $11,000 of heroin, more than $50,000 in cash and the implements to allegedly mastermind an identity theft ring valued near $200,000.

The source of all the information was an employee of a BP gas station, said Gordon. He'd set up a fake card reader to scam patrons.

It was one of the many devices seized by investigators, including hundreds of fake credit and debit cards, skimmer reading devices, remote cameras and card reader clones.

Additionally, hundreds of documents from illegal purchases including "coded" books containing victim's card numbers with attached PIN numbers were confiscated. Alpharetta authorities also seized $51,000 in cash, high grade heroin with a street value of $10,500, bank statements indicating deposits into the tens of thousands of dollars, recorded video images of the suspects committing fraud as well as identifying clothing seen on surveillance video of targeted businesses.

The three suspects were booked into the Fulton County Jail. Indictments are being obtained by detectives and numerous felony and misdemeanor charges are pending.
- www.northfulton.com

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