Police say Indianapolis woman was found with dozens of stolen credit cards

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- An Indianapolis woman was arrested on Wednesday after police say she was found with a trove of stolen credit cards, government identifications, passports, checkbooks and more.

According to a report by FOX 59, 47-year-old Angela Cook was originally stopped by Indiana State Police troopers on Interstate 65 near downtown Indianapolis just after 11 p.m. on Wednesday for driving with an expired temporary license plate.

Authorities say she originally told the trooper she was a 29-year-old and provided a false name and date of birth.

"It's not uncommon for a person to give a police officer a fake name or a fake identity verbally to try to elude as to who they really are," said Indiana State Police Sergeant John Perrine, a spokesman for the agency. "This person was also able to produce a photo and identification card of the person who she was pretending to be."

According to court documents, Cook also did the math wrong, providing a date of birth that would make her 27, not 29.

"The trooper was able to see through that, obviously, using some investigative techniques to catch her on a couple of the things she told him, versus the facts of what they should be," Perrine said.

According to ISP, Cook eventually provided the trooper with a physical identification card for the woman she claimed to be, then telling the trooper she was 32. According to ISP, these weren't the only forms of false identification Cook had on her.

After searching Cook's vehicle, investigators allegedly found 40 government-issued identifications, 73 credit cards, three passports, eight social cards and seven checkbooks, all belonging to various people.

Cook was arrested for a slew of charges that include identify deception, driving while suspended and possession of cocaine. At the time of the traffic stop, Cook had three active felony warrants, including two in Hamilton County and a third in Hendricks County, according to a probable cause affidavit.

"An arrest like this is significant for us, but it also comes down to, most of these things were likely stolen out of vehicles, so make sure that you're not leaving valuables behind in vehicles, in plain sight. Keep them locked away," Perrine said. "Don't allow the opportunity to exist for these criminals to steal belongings and your identity."