Ind. Police Work To Break Identity Theft Ring
Detectives: Local Case Has Illegal Immigration Connection
POSTED: 9:55 pm EDT October 12, 2010
UPDATED: 10:21 am EDT October 13, 2010
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NEW ALBANY, Ind. -- Police in southern Indiana are working to crack a high-tech case of identity theft, and they're hoping newly released surveillance video will help.

Investigators said a man was recently caught on surveillance footage at the State Street Target store in New Albany using a credit card belonging to Elen Jakob.

New Albany Detective Paul Haub said he believes Jakob's private bank information was hacked from 1,700 miles away in Arizona, where she lives.

"They can take that information that is on your card and clone another card and use it just like the one you have in your wallet," said Haub.

In the video, the man can be seen swiping three different credit cards attempting to buy a $200 gift card. The first two cards were declined, the third went through.

"Who knows how many he had. He may have had a dozen of those cards," Haub said.

Haub said he does not believe the person in the video is the person who stole the credit card number. Investigators said they believe the person who stole the number cloned it and then sold it.

Haub said organized crime is to blame and it's growing all over the country. In New Albany, he said there's a link to illegal immigration and Latino drug cartels.

"Normally, they are very good at cloning credit cards, as well, because they have the equipment necessary to produce fraudulent documents, driver's licenses, immigration cards and everything else included," Haub said.

The man was last seen driving away in a silver minivan.

If caught, the man could face nearly 10 felony counts for using and attempting to use the cards.

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