Southlake Cops Bust Bank Scam Suspect With Bag Full Of IDs

A 60-year-old man who police say walked into a Southlake bank looking to pull out $8,000 with bogus paperwork instead left in handcuffs, after sharp-eyed employees called it in. Investigators say the arrest opened the door to a much bigger case involving dozens of stolen identities, suspected narcotics, and some victims who are believed to be elderly.

The man, identified by police as Keith Gilbert, now faces state charges and was already wanted on active warrants from around North Texas and two other states, according to officials.

Bank staff spot paperwork that does not add up

The Southlake Department of Public Safety said bank employees noticed irregularities in the documents Gilbert allegedly used and contacted police. Officers arrived and detained him at the scene, according to the department’s statement.

In that account, officials say the stop quickly turned into something more serious once officers began looking through Gilbert’s belongings and piecing together where else he might have tried his luck.

Police say there was a failed $12,000 attempt earlier

As reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, investigators say Gilbert had already tried earlier that same day to withdraw $12,000 from a different bank. That effort reportedly fell through, and it was the second attempt at another Southlake location that prompted staff to refuse the transaction and call police.

Officers say that a quick call likely prevented further losses and kept the alleged forgery from going through.

Detectives say they found more than 27 potential victims

Police say a search of Gilbert’s belongings turned up information tied to more than 27 potential victims, along with other fraud-related materials and suspected narcotics. According to Southlake officials, some of the potential victims appear to be elderly.

The department said in its statement that investigators are working to notify anyone whose identifying information may have been used and are following up on leads related to the outstanding warrants in multiple states.

Charges, Texas law, and what is at stake

Southlake police say Gilbert was booked on charges that include fraudulent use or possession of identifying information and possession of a controlled substance, according to local reporting.

In Texas, fraudulent use or possession of identifying information is covered under the Texas Penal Code Section 32.51. Penalties can climb depending on how many pieces of identifying information are involved and the dollar amounts tied to the alleged fraud.

Steps to take if you think your identity was hit

If you suspect your information may have been swept up in a case like this, the Federal Trade Commission’s IdentityTheft.gov site walks victims through a step-by-step recovery plan and offers sample letters for disputing bogus accounts.

Police typically advise anyone who believes they are a target of identity theft to immediately contact their bank, file a report with the FTC, and obtain a police report. Those documents can help when placing fraud alerts or credit freezes with the major credit bureaus.

Southlake police say the investigation is ongoing and are asking anyone with information to contact the department. Authorities say they plan to keep working with other agencies to address the outstanding warrants and determine whether additional charges are warranted.