PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – A New York man is in the Pinellas County jail after deputies said he had all the makings of a counterfeit credit card operation inside a stolen rental car. You could call it “I.D. theft, to go.”
Part of the accused man’s stash includes an embossing machine that adds names and numbers to blank credit cards.
That’s just one of a few items deputies found in a stolen, rented Camaro, found in the parking lot of the Grand Plaza hotel in St. Pete Beach.
Deputies arrested 23-year-old Deashaun Brown, who arrest documents say, also had an array of products used to steal IDs and make counterfeit credit cards.
Clyde Smith, Bilmar Beach Resort General Manager, said, he takes several steps to verify a credit card when a customer presents it.
Still, he said, crooks will try anything.
“I’m not surprised that someone would try it. There’s some bad people out there, and fortunately, most of the good hoteliers are doing the right things to prevent it and catch ’em when possible,” he said.
The Bilmar is not part of this investigation. It trains employees to be on-guard for signs of fraud. Smith just installed new terminals and asks all guests for I.D.
“Part of our house keeping training is to just keep their eyes and ears open. So if they see something unusual, in a room, be it recording equipment, just equipment that isn’t part of your beach stay, we encourage them to come and let us know” said Smith.
Inside a stolen Camaro, an arrest affidavit says Deashaun Brown had the embosser, 27 counterfeit credit cards, a skimming device, and an I.D. from someone in Georgia.
Clyde Smith says “job well done” to the Grand Plaza clerk.
Deputies are still looking for the woman who walked into the Grand Plaza hotel and tried to get a room.
She ran away as cops came to the hotel. They have her name, and her accused accomplice.
