Legal Task Force Investigates Identity Theft Suspects

Law enforcement agencies joined together on Thursday in an effort to investigate identity theft related crimes suspects.

A task force of approximately 45 law enforcement officers from the Topanga Area Community Police Station, United States Secret Service, County of Los Angeles Probation Department and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office conducted searches at 18 locations within the Topanga and Devonshire Areas, according to Sgt. Thomas Mason of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Searches were conducted for suspects identified as being on probation for identity theft or property-theft related offenses.

Suspects were arrested on a variety of charges including burglary, possession of a controlled substance (metamphetamine), possession of burglary tools and possession of narcotics.

As well. several suspects may face charges for probation violation due to providing false residential addresses to the Los Angeles County Probation Office.

One suspect's house had marijuana packaged for sale in it and charges will be filed, Mason reported.