Sooner or later, a criminal’s luck runs out. That’s what happened to a group of identity thieves who recently bit off more than they could chew.

The Associated Press reported this week that a ring of counterfeit check scammers got themselves into a mess that could keep them on ice for quite some time, at the expense of the taxpayers in the state of Oregon.

Most police agencies have one person who is considered their “go-to” expert on certain types of cases. In this case the cop is Barbara Glass. She is a veteran police officer who has nearly 20 years of service under her utility belt.

According to the report, Glass has served all those years:

” including eight specializing in ID and fraud investigations. During her investigation into the check ring, she got an e-mail from a Safeway store to alert her that her name had showed up as the signee on one of the bogus checks (that was) passed.”

I was immediately reminded of the value of some type of early warning, late warning, any warning that can inform a victim that they have been compromised. Most consumers have done NOTHING to erect an early warning system for themselves.

Many people who have purchased some type of identity theft protection are still vulnerable to ongoing abuse. Unlike the timely and coincidental email from Safeway in this case, most of us have no form of notification or early warning set up for us until it’s too late.

Officer Glass told The Oregonian newspaper that she nearly fell off her chair.  Glass recalls shouting out to her partner, Officer Dave Staab “My name!” Her full name was handwritten on a fake check and cashed back in April.

This story hits close to home because I remember the day my wife and I had the same conversation. Counterfeit checks were presented and cashed all over town with our bank information and a signature that wasn’t even close to mine.

In my case, the culprits were never identified, but due to the police work of Officers Glass and Staab, the Multnomah County Deputy District attorney will soon have a case to prosecute.

Thanks to some inspired police work, three suspects have had the spotlight shined on thier own identities and are now awaiting their day in court.

I don’t think a check payable to the bailiff will get them off the hook this time.