Sparks Police arrested a man accused of using a fabricated ID to try to withdraw thousands of dollars from a local bank account that wasn't his.
The Sparks Police Department said in a statement that officers were called to a Sparks bank on Wednesday, Nov. 4, after employees reported a possible fraudulent withdrawal of thousands of dollars. The suspect presented identification matching the account holder, but bank employees believed the ID appeared fabricated.
As employees investigated the transaction and prepared to call police, the suspect left.
Workers captured a photo of the suspect's vehicle but could not get a license plate number. Officers used the department's Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR), a plate-scanning system, to identify the vehicle based on its description. The ALPR results gave officers a plate number, which was shared with surrounding agencies.
On Thursday, Nov. 5, Reno Police notified the Sparks Police Department that the suspect had allegedly attempted a similar fraudulent withdrawal at a bank in Reno. Using the license plate and vehicle description obtained through ALPR, Reno officers located and detained the suspect, the department said.
The suspect was identified as Marc Coco. Reno Police arrested Coco for crimes alleged in their jurisdiction, and Sparks Police booked him on two felony charges:
- Attempt to obtain money under false pretenses, valued at $5,000 to $25,000
- Obtain and use personal identifying information of an older or vulnerable person
The department's investigation determined that Coco allegedly attempted or completed similar fraudulent withdrawals across the country, according to the Sparks Police statement. Coco was also booked on an outstanding felony fraud warrant out of New York.
Anyone with information about this case can contact the Sparks Police Department.
