Ohio Up 8 percent more for arrests of identity crimes

Patrol: Ohio ID crime arrests up 8 pct. this year

August 3, 2009 By The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The State Highway Patrol says during the first half of this year Ohio troopers made 8 percent more arrests for identity crimes, compared to the same period in 2008.

Patrol superintendent Col. Richard Collins says effective traffic enforcement is helping to stop "bad guys" from posing as law-abiding citizens. Collins said in a statement Monday that troopers are trained to look out for identity fraud and related crimes.

The patrol says Franklin County, which includes Columbus, had 29 identity crime arrests during the first half, the most among the state's 88 counties. Butler County in southwest Ohio and Lorain County west of Cleveland were tied for second with 18 arrests each.