Police: 3 Charged In Connection to AAA Roadside Assistance Credit Card Fraud In Atlantic, Cape May Counties
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS) -- Have you used AAA Roadside Assistance in South Jersey over the last three years? Authorities want anyone who has used AAA Roadside Assistance in Atlantic or Cape May Counties since 2016 to report suspicious credit card activity to police.
An eight-week-long investigation into fraudulent use of a credit card and theft led to the arrests of 44-year-old Anthony Reyes, 47-year-old Elizabeth Cruz and 39-year-old Alexander Rosario.
Atlantic City police say Reyes, a tow truck driver for City Wide Towing, stole credit card information from roadside assistance customers who he helped in those counties.
He then allegedly made purchases using the customers' credit card information and create fake accounts with online websites.
The owner of City Wide Towing fired Reyes upon learning about the fraudulent activity and alerted officials.
At least 20 victims have been identified through an inspection of an office computer and other resources.
Police say Reyes purchased a large amount of items, including clothes, shoes, jewelry, and car parts.
Detectives found the items were being shipped to two addresses.
Detectives found evidence of known purchases that were made while conducting a search warrant at a home on the 200 block of North Kentucky Avenue in Galloway, New Jersey.
They also recovered 115 grams of cocaine, paraphernalia consistent with distributing narcotics and more than $22,000 in cash.
This resulted in the arrests of Rosario and Cruz.
Reyes was charged with theft of identity, theft of credit card, fraudulent use of a credit card, conspiracy and money laundering.
Rosario was charged with conspiracy to commit theft, possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS), possession with intent to distribute CDS within 1,000 feet of a school zone, and possession of CDS paraphernalia and Cruz was charged with receiving stolen property.
All three were released on a summons with a future court date.
Anyone who has used AAA Roadside Assistance within Atlantic or Cape May Counties and has suspicious credit card activity from 2016 to the present is urged to contact the Atlantic City police at 609-347-5766.
