A months-long investigation into a pricey jewelry shopping spree that deputies say was funded with a stolen identity has ended in another state. Investigators allege that 32-year-old Wallace Lake used someone else’s personal information on May 6 to buy more than $20,000 in jewelry from two Brandon stores. He was arrested in Mount Vernon, New York, in mid-July.
A shopping spree paid for with someone else’s identity finally caught up with a man after an investigation led to his arrest.On May 6, 2026, a man walked into Jared Jewelers on West Brandon Boulevard and Kay Jewelers located at the Brandon Exchange, using stolen personal… pic.twitter.com/NkuQ7bGegz
— HCSO (@HCSOSheriff) July 19, 2026
Hillsborough Sheriff Touts Cross-State Work
“Our detectives will chase these cases as far as they need to go to hold criminals accountable and protect our residents,” Sheriff Chad Chronister wrote when announcing the arrest. According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, detectives traced the May 6 purchases to a suspect, then obtained warrants for grand theft and multiple fraud-related offenses.
The arrest record attached to the sheriff’s post lists charges including fraudulent use of personal identification, fraudulent use of credit cards and obtaining property by false pretenses. Detectives say those counts stem directly from the May shopping trip that triggered the investigation.
Deputies Say Brandon Jewelry Run Topped $20K
Investigators report that the suspect’s big-ticket buys were made at two Brandon jewelry stores. One purchase was at a Jared store on West Brandon Boulevard, and another was at a Kay Jewelers shop inside Brandon Exchange. The total losses from the two transactions are listed at more than $20,000…