Bellevue Police Department special investigators arrested five suspects and busted a large identity theft ring on April 12.
Special Enforcement Team members were in the area of a residence in the 9400 block of Ninth Ave. SW in West Seattle when they observed several individuals exist the resident and enter a stolen vehicle.
After obtaining a search warrant, team members searched the resident and found multiple credit cards, Washington drivers’ licenses and personal and financial documents of dozens of persons. Multiple crowbars, suspected stolen credit cards, gloves, screwdrivers, a brass knuckle-shaped stun gun were found in the vehicle and a backpack containing several shaved keys and narcotics.
Investigators were able to link the stolen vehicle and one of the suspects to a motor vehicle prowl that had occurred in Bellevue on April 7.
Two females and three males were arrested for a variety of crimes, including possession of a stolen vehicle, stolen property and identity theft.
Police are in the process of contacting additional victims — including multiple Bellevue residents — and the investigation is being forwarded to the King County Prosecutor’s Office for consideration of criminal charges.