Stamford Forgery Sting Nets 2 Arrests in ID Theft Cases

Stamford Police photos: Reginald Boyd, left, and Tosheim Newkirk.

*Editor’s note: this story originally was published Nov. 13. It was updated Nov. 15 to include the suspects’ hometowns and the investigating officers’ names.

It started out as two separate investigations by the Stamford Police Department Property Crimes Division that culminated with the arrests of two individuals who police say were working together in identity theft and trafficking in identity theft.

Police said earlier this week they were notified that a victim’s identity had been compromised and that someone had made an online purchase of three Apple iPhones that were to be picked up at the Sprint Store in the Stamford Mall. Investigators posed as store employees and when the suspect came and signed for the phones he was apprehended by the officers, according to police.

The suspect was identified as Tosheim Newkirk, 21, of Stamford, who was charged with Criminal Impersonation, second-degree Forgery, third-degree Identity Theft, fourth-degree Larceny and Credit Card Theft, police said. A $20,000 bond was levied on Newkirk.

In the second case, investigators received a complaint from a local Stamford financial business reporting that approximately 20 employees’ identities had been compromised. Investigators found numerous fraudulent bank, phone and credit card accounts were opened in several of the employee’s names without their knowledge.

Police said they determined that an employee left behind a book of the company’s employees’ personal information and it was acquired by the suspect. The suspect was identified as Reginald Boyd, 22, also of Stamford, and a search warrant was executed at his residence in October.

The evidence obtained during the search linked Boyd to the fraudulently acquired accounts, police said.

On Nov. 12, investigators initiated a ruse to have Boyd come to police headquarters and to retrieve the items seized during the execution of the search warrant. When he arrived at headquarters he was arrested and charged with Trafficking in Personal Identifying Information, 19 counts of third-degree Identity Theft 3rd, second-degree Identity Theft, and first-degree Computer Crimes. A $100,000 court set bond was levied on Boyd.

Police said, “Further investigation led to the fact that Boyd and Newkirk had been working together, conducting the identity thefts as a team.”

Stamford Police credited the work of Sgt. Steve Perotta, and Officers Michael Stempien, Sean Coughlin and John Russell that led the arrests.

Police said, “The SPD aggressively investigates these crimes and we go to all lengths to make arrests that adversely affect the personal sanctity of residents financial security.”