Kansas Man Arrested In Hoover Identity Theft Case

HOOVER, AL - The Hoover Police Department announced the arrest of a Kansas man who was forging checks and cashing them in and around the Hoover area. On January 12, Hoover Police were called to the Days Inn, located at 1800 Riverchase Drive, after hotel staff located a printer and several pieces of paper with counterfeit checks printed on them that were left behind by a hotel patron. Officers collected the items and learned that the male who rented the room was wanted out of Kansas for burglary of a vehicle. He was later identifued as Justin Edward Fink, 32, of Roeland Park, Kansas.

Detectives began investigating the case and determined the checks were stolen from several local business as well as a few out of state individuals. On January 25, officers responded to the Hyatt Place hotel after receiving information that the same individual was staying there and was altering checks inside his room. The suspect was not located but officers did find a printer, laptop, and other tools used to alter checks in the room. Detectives learned that the suspect was breaking into mailboxes of businesses and stealing checks and other documents. He would then alter the checks to make it appear as if they had been written to him.

On February 4, an officer working at the Galleria saw Fink and apprehended him after a brief foot chase. He was in possession of a forged check from a car dealership in Clanton at the time of his arrest. Fink told officers he was staying in a room at the Hampton Inn on John Hawkins Parkway. Detectives secured a search warrant for the room and located another printer, driver’s licenses, and tax documents. They also found 117 stolen checks with a face value totaling more than $760,000.00.

Fink was transferred from the Hoover City Jail to the Jefferson County Jail Tuesday. Additional charges are forthcoming as detectives continue to investigate this case. If anyone has any information regarding this case, please contact Detective Josh Wiggins at 205-739-7499.

Photo from Hoover PD