Fairfield Police Arrest Suspect In Debit Card Fraud, Discover Fake Driver's License

FAIRFIELD, CT — A 32-year-old Haverstraw, New York man was arrested by Fairfield police on forgery and criminal impersonation charges Tuesday in connection with a debit card fraud case.

In addition to the forgery and criminal impersonation charges, Daniel Diaz-Valerio was also charged with conspiracy to commit fifth-degree larceny charges.

"Fairfield patrol officers received a report from a resident that a fraudulent purchase had been made using their debit card," Sgt. Jenna Wellington told Patch. "Officers responded to the location where the package was scheduled to be picked up, located Diaz-Valerio, and took him into custody without incident."

The package was initially scheduled for delivery to the resident's home but had been rerouted to another location by Diaz-Valerio, according to police.

"During the investigation, officers discovered that Diaz-Valerio was in possession of a fraudulent Connecticut driver's license bearing the Fairfield resident's last name and address but displaying Diaz-Valerio's photograph," Wellington said. "Officers also recovered two debit cards bearing another individual's name."

Diaz-Valerio was released after posting bond on bail of $5,000, and he is scheduled to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on Nov. 10.

"While the circumstances of this arrest may appear straightforward, the successful apprehension involved significant coordination, teamwork, and strategic planning among responding officers," Wellington said. "Their efforts ensured the suspect was taken into custody safely and without incident."

The department advises residents to monitor their bank accounts for unauthorized transactions, enable transaction alerts and watch for unexpected changes to package deliveries.

Additionally, people should report suspicious activity to their banks and police immediately, and avoid sharing personal or financial information with unverified individuals.