Police: Stolen car contains trove of I.D. theft materials

Police arrested a man after they found about half a dozen boxes full of fake IDs, credit-card readers and other equipment related to identity theft in a car outside a Costa Mesa motel early Monday, according to authorities.

An officer was on routine patrol about 4 a.m. when he spotted someone sitting in a parked car near the La Quinta Inn at 1515 South Coast Drive, Costa Mesa police Sgt. Matt Selinske said.

The officer decided to run the license plate and discovered the vehicle had been reported stolen in Las Vegas, Selinske said.

Police arrested the man in the car on suspicion of auto theft, and when officers searched the vehicle, they found crates full of identity-theft materials, including equipment used to forge credit or debit cards, Selinske said.

Officers also said they found methamphetamine.

Police haven’t been able to identify the man they arrested.

He originally gave officers a fake identity that investigators quickly debunked by contacting the person he was posing as, Selinske said.

Police said they’re still sifting through the boxes from the car and will likely recommend additional charges related to fraud and identity theft.