Carpentersville man steals ID of 7-year-old girl

A 45-year-old Carpentersville man has charged with the theft of the Social Security number of a 7-year-old girl in 1995 and using it since then to obtain employment and purchase a home and various vehicles.

Armando Cruz of the 0-100 block of Birch Street was charged in court Friday with the Class X felony of identity theft, according to court documents.

If he is convicted, Kane County Judge Robert Morrow said, he could receive up to 30 years in prison.

Carpentersville police said the victim, an Aurora woman who is now 20 years old, stopped receiving her bank statements recently and contacted her bank.

She was told at the bank her statements were now being mailed to a Birch Street address in Carpentersville.

Cruz was called in to the Carpentersville Police Department Thursday, was interviewed by detectives and then arrested.

Carpentersville police said Cruz told them he purchased the Social Security number in Chicago in 1995 for $25.

Police said Cruz always paid his bills on time, a possible reason why the theft was not discovered earlier.

Cruz posted a $10,000 bond Friday morning and was released from custody.

He is scheduled to appear in court again on Feb. 10 at the Kane County Judicial Center.