FRAUD RING BROKEN UP....

Calgary police have laid nearly 100 charges over an ongoing
major bank fraud where a gang of tricksters netted at least $30.000.

So far police have arrested and charged 5 people, and more are under investigation,
said staff Sgt. Frank Reuser.

The gang was active in October and November last year, defruading
banks and stores across the city. Criminals in eastern Canada were stealing
items of identifaction and seding them to Calgary to the tricksters.

"Using this information, they obtained fraudulent Alberta operator's
licences and other fake identification cards," said Reuser."The fraudulent
identifcation documents were produced by an accomplice in an Alberta Registry
Office."

Armed with the fake papers, juveniles were then sent out to open bank
accounts, into which the gang deposited stolen Visa convieniance cheques.

"These-accounts were quickly depleted by using
ATM withdrawals," said Reuser.

Police have charges Wayne William Talbot, 28, originally of London, Ontario
with 10 counts of fraud; Casey James Butt 18 of Calgary with 15 counts a 17 year-old
male juvenile with 3 counts and 2 17 year old female juveniles with 9 counts between them.

SOURCE:
The Calgary Sun
Written by: Peter Smith
February 6 1997