SAN ANTONIO – A man who worked at a car dealership in San Antonio is accused of stealing personal and financial information from a customer and using it to buy two vehicles.
Records show that Etni Gidalti Carrizales, 27, was arrested on four counts of fraudulent use or possession of identifying information < five items, one count of theft between $30,000 and $150,000, and one count of false statement to obtain property or credit.
He was taken into custody on Tuesday, months after the investigation started in late January.
An arrest warrant affidavit states that a customer went to a car dealership where Carrizales worked as a salesman, and filled out the required paperwork as an interested buyer.
The man left and chose to not purchase a vehicle, but he noticed that his credit was being run several times through different banks and financial companies.
He told police that Carrizales messaged him weeks later and asked for a copy of his driver’s license “for their records,” the affidavit states.
Investigators said the man “had a suspicion that something was askew” and put a freeze on his credit and contacted the police.
He later realized that Carrizales circumvented the credit bureaus, unblocked his credit, and purchased vehicles using the stolen identity, the affidavit states.
The victim was locked out of his credit and asked bureaus to cease approvals in his name.
Police said Carrizales bought a 2019 Chevrolet Traverse from a local dealership for $36,018 using a fake driver’s license that contained the victim’s information. The vehicle was delivered to Carrizales’ apartment complex.
He also bought a vehicle in Austin using the victim’s name, but he provided his real name for the insurance, police said.
The insurance policy listed Carrizales’ real address, where the vehicle was also delivered, the affidavit states.
Another affidavit states that Carrizales was fired from the car dealership in January following a separate incident where he stole checks and deposited them.
His bond was set at $70,000, records show.
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