Moses Lake Police bust an identity ring thanks to pizza delivery

(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)

MOSES LAKE, Wash. -Police in Moses Lake just busted up an identity theft ring, thanks to a pizza delivery.

It was all going on at the Imperial Motel, just a few blocks away from McCosh park.      

On Monday afternoon, Moses Lake police responded to a theft call that call from a man in Phoenix, Arizona-13 hundred miles away. They also got a call around the same time from a local pizza shop, and put two and two together.    

"One was reporting a theft, and the other was reporting a fraud," said Officer Salazar. "It turned out to be the same call."

Responding to the motel where the pizza was delivered, officer Edgar Salazar contacted motel manager, Brandi Smithers, who matched the description of the person to who just signed for the pizzas.     

Officer Salazar confronted the 28-year-old about how she had paid for the food. Eventually, Smithers confessed to using stolen credit card information to order the pizza and was arrested.   

But that's not where the story ends. When police executed a search warrant for her room, they found three other people inside, meth, heroin, and drug paraphernalia. 

The man who had his identity stolen, sparking this investigation, tells KHQ that he was shocked at just how quickly police were able to find those responsible. He said he found out in about 30 minutes- the time it typically takes to deliver a pizza. 


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