Travis County deputies have arrested a man who they say is responsible for hundreds of cases of identity theft.
Piles of checks, drivers’ licenses, gift cards and receipts blanketed a table at the Travis County Sheriff's Office Wednesday.
"We recovered 70 fake Texas licenses and ID cards, 628 stolen and counterfeit checks," said Detective Carri Turner.
Turner says a routine traffic stop on March 10 put an end to 37-year-old Brian Walsh's two year identity theft operation. The majority of his victims are from the Austin area.
“So there's potentially 64 victims whose drivers license numbers have been compromised. There are 628 counterfeit checks, and the majority of the checks has different routing and account numbers. We estimate at this time that there are 400 routing and account numbers -- so 400 different victims."
Turner says Walsh wrote fake checks daily. In addition to buying groceries, gas and other items, he'd get $20 cash back or purchase high dollar gift cards.
"The potential dollar lost is great," Turner said.
Detectives say Walsh got the checks by breaking into vehicles or going through mailboxes.
Turner says if he found checks already filled out, he would use a kit to make blank ones. Also recovered was a computer and printer.
Walsh is currently facing charges in Florida for the same crime. He was arrested in October of last year in Orange County and bonded out.
Turner says Walsh didn't act alone. Hays County deputies arrested and charged Kandace Christensen in June 2009 for forgery. Some of the items found in Walsh's truck are tied to her case.
Because of the number of victims, Turner says the charge against Walsh will have the same punishment as homicide.
Deputies will be contacting all of the victims in the coming weeks.
