Video: Suspected ID thief may have targeted many

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EVERETT, Wash. – Police are trying to track down more victims of suspected identity thief who may have targeted people all across Western Washington.

That female suspect faces 27 counts of ID theft, but by the time the investigation is over, that number could reach more than 100.

The big break for police came last Wednesday. A woman used a credit card to reserve a room at a motel and checked in with a companion.

Later, a clerk saw the woman and her guest rummaging through the dumpster. A check of their credit card number revealed it was stolen. When police arrived, they found credit cards, a passport and four typewritten pages in her purse.

Those pages contained the names and credit card numbers of more than 100 people.

Everett Police have their work cut out for them. They don’t know where the cardholders live, if the cardholders know their credit card numbers have been stolen or if any or all of the numbers were ever used.

“That's something our detectives will start working on this week,” said Sgt. Robert Goetz, Everett Police.

Finding the victims in this case may be easier said than done. The suspect lives on Camano Island but was caught driving a rented van from Bothell and the credit cards she was carrying came from a business in Burien, so police have a lot of ground to cover.

The suspect appeared in court Monday. She has convictions for previous financial crimes and a history of not showing up for court dates.

That won’t be a problem this time. She’ll remain locked up on $750,000 bail.