Three charged with credit card fraud/ID theft ring at local stores

Three New Yorkers were arrested Thursday as they left a local store and charged with orchestrating a credit card fraud and identity theft ring that struck a series of Westport merchants.

The trio was nabbed outside the store -- police did not identify the business -- at just before 5 p.m. Thursday after an employee called police to report they were attempting to make a purchase using an invalid credit card.

They were stopped by officers as they left the store and, following a subsequent investigation, linked to at least five other similar incidents at Westport businesses, according to police.

Among the items recovered from the suspects' vehicle were fraudulent credit cards, credit card statements and a credit card reader, police said.

Local police detectives are continuing to investigate the alleged crime ring with the assistance of the U.S. Secret Service.

Those arrested and the charges are:

Giselle Gonzalez, 23, of Woodside, N.Y.: conspiracy to commit unlawful completion or reproduction of credit card; eight counts of conspiracy to commit larceny fifth-degree; illegal use of scanning device; unlawful completion or reproduction of a credit card; two counts of larceny fifth-degree.

Vipul R. Patel, 25, of Flushing, N.Y.: conspiracy to commit unlawful completion or reproduction of credit card; seven counts of conspiracy to commit larceny fifth-degree; illegal use of scanning device; unlawful completion or reproduction of credit card; three counts of fifth-degree larceny.

Sabi Randhawa, 36, of New Hyde Park, N.Y.: conspiracy to commit larceny fifth-degree; illegal use of scanning device; unlawful completion or reproduction of credit card; 10 counts of larceny fifth-degree.

All three are scheduled to appear Aug. 9 in Norwalk Superior Court.