Marin and Contra Costa Counties: Identity Theft
12/23/2010
Marin and Contra Costa Counties: Identity Theft
An arrest was made after a 7 month Identity theft investigation. The case began after Home Depot loss prevention reported that a subject was making multiple credit card and check purchases from the San Rafael store using the credit card accounts of victims from Tiburon, San Rafael, and Pleasanton, as well as checks from a Novato victim. The suspect often made the orders by phone using the name that matched the account used for payment and advised that another person would pick up the merchandise. Occasionally they requested that it be delivered to an address in Richmond. The calls were found to be coming from the same the phone number and the items that were delivered all went to the same physical address in Richmond. Investigators posed as deliver persons on the next scheduled delivery, although when we arrived at the residence it was vacant. Through contacts with the neighbors, the suspect was identified as Richard Earl Griffen of Vallejo. Through surveillance video, interviews of the delivery company drivers, and Home Depot clerks the investigator was able to link this suspect to additional purchases. The case was filed with the Marin County District Attorney’s Office and a warrant was issued for Griffen’s arrest. Griffen was located and arrested on December 23, 2010 in Richmond. He was booked into the Marin County Jail. At the time of the arrest Griffen was in possession of another counterfeit California Drivers License and 10 suspected stolen credit cards. The driver’s license had Griffen’s photograph but the personal identifying information of another person. The credit cards were actually prepaid credit cards that had been embossed with the name that matched the driver’s license. At this time, Griffen has been linked to making over $25,000.00 worth of fraudulent charges.