Cook Co. Sheriff's Office busts fake ID ring targeting migrants
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said sheriff's police arrested three men from Mexico as part of a scheme encouraging some of the city's most vulnerable to shoplift in exchange for fake IDs.
The ringleaders would reward migrants for shoplifting by giving them documents so they could then get legitimate jobs.
Fake IDs and very real cash are tied to recent retail thefts in River North.
"The numbers are staggering as you can see behind me. They're increasing exponentially every month," Dart said. "It appears that they've been doing this for some time. The vast majority of them were from Venezuela."
Sheriff Dart said most of the arrests happened along Michigan Avenue. Investigators noticed a trend. They were arresting more and more migrants who told the same story and had the same motivation.
"A lot of these folks are purely trying to steal so they can get IDs so they can get a job, so they can make some money."
Dart said migrants involved in the scheme sold off stolen items for cash they then used to pay for fake IDs. Investigators recovered nearly 500 fake IDs including Social Security cards, Green Cards, and driver's licenses.
"About $150 would be what the average asking price was for one of these IDs," Dart said.
"Literally, you're being directed. 'Here's how you can get your ID. You go and steal these things, you get an ID,'" Dart said.
Investigators made arrests after an undercover investigation and they're convinced the scheme is not the only one targeting migrants.
"So if the motive, which is creating this crime at least, is people who are looking to get a card so they can get a job. We sure should be trying to facilitate helping that issue," Dart said.
The three men arrested for leading the theft ring face felony charges.