TREASURE COAST — A Fort Pierce man was jailed last month after deputies said he used stolen identification information in a ploy to purchase a brand-new Cadillac from a dealership in Vero Beach. Deputies later found the man with several fake IDs, along with suspected stolen checks and mail, at a hotel in Fort Pierce.
The hotel room, along with a U-Haul van, were both rented under a fake ID, according to officials. Deputies called the incidents part of a widespread identity theft operation.
“The suspect requested that the vehicle be delivered to a hotel in Fort Pierce, quickly becoming a key location in the investigation,” Indian River County sheriff’s officials said in a statement. “Detective Leon Bennett quickly coordinated an undercover operation that led to the arrest of Philippe Canell.”…