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Deputies: Union County identity theft ring that used stolen IDs to buy cars

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — An identity theft ring wherein the thieves used stolen IDs to buy cars has just been identified, according to Union County deputies.

Deputies arrested Shanice Ward at an Indian Trail car dealership as she was trying to buy a car and uncovered an identity theft ring.

Authorities arrested Ward and Antonio Mason but have are still searching for a second woman in the case. They are accused of using stolen identities to get pre-approved credit applications online, then fraudulently buying cars at Chrysler Dodge Jeep of Indian Trail.

(Click PLAY to watch investigator explain the case)

Authorities tracked down two cars that they said suspects had already gotten away with, one in Forsyth County and one in Charlotte.

Investigators believe the suspects also fraudulently bought a car in Gaston County. Now, they’re working with detectives in at least three other nearby counties.

“We don’t know how widespread this [investigation] may go,” said Tony Underwood, of the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators say the suspects created fake driver’s licenses and included their picture. They presented the IDs with a fraudulent credit application, deputies said.

The suspects got busted when deputies said they used the same driver’s license number in back-to-back in two weeks, using different names.

“The name she was using was actually a real person in South Carolina who had no idea her name and information was being used,” Underwood said.

Part of the challenge now for investigators is finding out who all the victims are and how their information was stolen. They do know there are already victims in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

“I don’t want anybody to have to go through that,” said Lainey Turner, who was shopping in Indian Trail. “That’s hard. You don’t want to have to live life knowing that somebody’s stealing your identity.”

A manager at the dealership declined to comment to Channel 9, but commended the sheriff's office for responding quickly and investigating.

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