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Loveland police on Christmas Eve arrested two men suspected of using fraudulent credit cards at numerous Colorado stores.
About 1:13 p.m. Dec. 24, police were called to the Loveland Target store, 1725 Rocky Mountain Ave., on a fraud complaint. At the store, employees identified the men as those suspected of using fraudulent credit cards, according to a Loveland Police Department news release.
Police arrested Hua Ding, 46, of Massachusetts, and Xiaoshi Zhuang, 22, of Nevada, after investigations revealed the men purchased merchandise with gift cards that originally were purchased with fraudulent credit cards, police said.
The car the men were driving also contained numerous gift cards from other stores, police said.
According to Ding’s booking report from the Loveland Police Department, he was in possession of 14 credit cards, 56 gift cards and $208.51 in cash at the time of his arrest. Zhuang had an additional $30 in cash in his possession.
Further investigation revealed a suspected criminal enterprise that uses fraudulent credit cards to purchase legitimate gift cards, police said. The gift cards were then used to purchase merchandise such as electronics at other stores, police said.
Investigators estimate the stolen merchandise to be worth about $74,000.
The two men appeared in Larimer County court Monday. The two men do not speak English; all communication between Magistrate Matthew Zehe and the men during their appearances had to be done over speakerphone with a Mandarin translator.
Zehe set both men’s bond at $7,500. If they bond out, they are not allowed to leave the state, he said.
“It’s not certain that you’re in this country legally,” Zehe said to Ding.
Both men face felony theft charges.
Loveland police are not releasing photos of the suspects at this time to aid in further investigations.
The two will next appear in 8th Judicial District Court on Wednesday.
Article source: http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20101231/NEWS01/12310308/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02
Category: Identity Theft Watch