Murray Wood: Who's being fooled this April 1?
Murray Wood says every day is April Fools Day in the disinformation age and, as ever, some people will never believe the...
A 39-year-old Regina man is facing a lengthy list of criminal charges after allegedly opening fraudulent bank accounts and withdrawing money he deposited using fake cheques.
According to Regina police, the man visited numerous banks in Regina, Saskatoon and Moose Jaw between August and October and opened accounts under a number of false identities. He then deposited fraudulent cheques, police said, and withdrew large sums of cash afterward.
Police said investigators with the Financial Crimes Unit identified the suspect as Jeffery Cross and caught up with him on Oct. 4 while he was allegedly attempting to open another fraudulent account at a bank on Albert Street in Regina.
When Cross was arrested, police said he was found to be carrying multiple false identity documents, and a search of his vehicle turned up stolen mail, ID from numerous victims, stolen cheques, and a gun and ammunition.
Police said investigating officers also identified Cross as a suspect in two break-ins at apartment buildings which saw mailboxes pried open and emptied. One of those occurred Aug. 4 on Davidson Crescent, police said, while the other happened on Aug. 18 on Munroe Place.
Cross is now facing a total of 48 criminal charges, including nine counts of identity theft, seven counts of forgery, nine counts of possession of stolen property, and more.
While mail theft may seem minor, police cautioned that stolen mail can lead to identity theft or fraud, and asked the public to always report theft of mail or ID documents.
