Alleged identity thieves arrested in the South Okanagan with hundreds of stolen IDs, credit cards and mail

OSOYOOS – Police have arrested three alleged identity thieves in Osoyoos but say their victims weren’t from around here.

Osoyoos RCMP got lucky on Aug. 12, 2018 when U.S. border authorities turned over to them a man who had mistakenly gone through the border and then found to possess numerous fake identifications and credit cards plus the electronic device needed to make them.

An investigation alleges Kuch Hengleap Khun, 37, lived primarily off the proceeds of numerous sophisticated frauds across Canada.

He remains in custody facing charges of identify theft, Penticton RCMP media officer Const. James Grandy said in a press release.

Later that month, Osoyoos RCMP again made a lucky arrest after a pair of men fled from police who tried to stop them for dangerous driving.

Keremeos RCMP helped arrest the two men using a spike belt and then discovered the driver was using a false name and had hundreds of pieces of stolen mail, identifications, false IDs and credit cards plus the equipment to make them.

Police say the driver, Nathaniel Dacles, 27, believed to live in the Lower Mainland, already had several warrants for his arrest alleging fraud and identity theft.

Dacles remains in custody facing charges of possession of identification documents, dangerous driving, flight from police, obstruction and driving while prohibited.

Passenger Michael White, 53, was on probation with conditions not to possess any mail other than his own. He was released after being charged with breach of probation and possession of identification documents.

None of the victims of identity theft appear to have lived in the Okanagan, Grandy said.

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