Police look at teen in rash of ID thefts

Jen Lawson

Friday, March 26, 2004 | 11:19 a.m.

Metro Police are investigating whether an 18-year-old man arrested Thursday in connection with an identity theft operation was involved in a recent rash of thefts of computer hard drives from medical offices and insurance companies.

Also, police are trying to determine if William London created fake identification cards for the 311 Boyz, a group of northwest Las Vegas teens accused of carrying out beatings and videotaping them.

London was arrested early Thursday morning at his home in the 3000 block of Vegas Drive. He is only charged with burglary for now, but police said additional charges relating to his alleged counterfeit operation are pending.

Metro Police Lt. Steve Franks said London was able to replicate Nevada driver's licenses down to the most minute detail.

"He was the master of this stuff," he said.

Police and agents with the U.S. Secret Service raided his home about 10 p.m. and found a large amount of computer equipment in a storage shed in the back yard. He was taken into custody after midnight.

Franks said they recovered at least 25 flat-screen computer monitors and enough additional computer equipment and electronics to fill a pickup truck and cover the floor of the carport.

Investigators determined most of the computer equipment had been stolen from a storage unit in Las Vegas that had been rented by the Odyssey Charter School.

Police said they found identification cards, identity documents and drugs, including marijuana, heroin, hash and methamphetamines in London's house.

It appeared London had tried to protect his house from police, Franks said. Surveillance cameras scanned the outside and London had a police scanner inside the house.

London allegedly used a high-end printer and scanner to make the IDs, Franks said. It appears he was charging $100 to $250, but that is still under investigation.

Police believe the people who bought the IDs were using them to cash stolen checks.

Sgt. Shane Robb of Metro's forgery unit said he "couldn't confirm or deny" that the case was connected to the 311 Boyz gang. He said investigators were looking into the possibility.

Investigators are trying to determine if London had the computer equipment to sell for profit or if he was using information on the hard drives to steal peoples' identities, and if they could be linked to "a recent rash of burglaries at insurance and medical offices, or any kind of business" where a client list could be found.

In January, at least nine Henderson office suites were burglarized and computer hard drives were taken. Similar burglaries have occurred in Las Vegas.

Investigators are also looking into the possibility that some of the documents could be linked to the theft of identity information earlier this year from employees of The Mirage.

It will take some time to sort everything out and figure out the extent of London's alleged activities, police said.

Arresting him on the burglary charge "gives us more time to work the financial crime aspect," Robb said. "We have a lot to look at to prove probable cause."

Federal charges also may be filed against London, Robb said.