BOISE -- Three men are facing charges after police say officers caught them using stolen credit cards to make purchases at several local businesses Monday.
Twenty-nine-year-old Byron Espinoza of Palmdale, California is facing felony charges of grand theft and burglary, while 28-year-old Walter Aguilera-Campino and 26-year-old Rodolfo Espinosa, both of Santiago, Chile, are each facing a burglary charge.
Police say the suspects traveled to Idaho to carry out the scheme, and have been accused of similar crimes in Utah.
The investigation began after employees at a store near the Boise Towne Square Mall called police to report some suspicious purchases. The customer has repeatedly asked for the “most expensive” products, the employee said, but did not seem to be interested in the specifics of that model. The card the man used to buy the item was later determined to be stolen.
Officers found two suspects matching the description the employee gave at a nearby store, trying to make a similar purchase. A witness told police that when the men were asked for ID during the purchase, they turned around and left the store.
Officers approached the two men as they tried to make a third purchase at another store. During their investigation, police say, they found a third man who had been involved in the original fraudulent purchase in a nearby rental car.
Investigators learned that the trio had been using three credit cards stolen from a vehicle in Boise earlier Monday morning. Officers also found fake IDs in the suspects' vehicle.
Espinosa, Espinoza and Aguilera-Campino were arrested and booked into the Ada County Jail. More charges are pending in the case.
The men are due to appear in court Tuesday afternoon.
