Credit Card Encoder Found During Westlake Traffic Stop

WESTLAKE, OH — Police found a bag of suspected marijuana, credit cards belonging to numerous people, a credit card encoder and more in a car stopped in Westlake on June 21.

A patrolling officer saw a car commit a traffic violation at 9:30 a.m. on Clemens Road. He stopped the car and saw three people inside — two adults and a 6-month-old baby. All of the people inside the car were from Michigan.

The car smelled like marijuana, so the officer searched the car and found a small bag of suspected weed. Police said they also found numerous credit cards in different peoples' names, a credit card encoder (used to load information onto fraudulent credit cards), a laptop and a tablet.

A 21-year-old man from Warren, Michigan was taken into custody after the search of the car. He has been charged with felony counterfeiting and could face additional charges for possession of criminal tools and receiving stolen property.

The baby and the baby's mother were interviewed and then released without being charged, police said.