WOWT.com on Demand
  • 6 On Your Cell
  • RSS Feeds
  • Desktop Alert
  • Text Alerts
  • Daily E-News
  • What’s on 6
  • Children's Programming Changes
    YouCast - Submit Pics and Video
    Watch NBC Shows Online
    The Weather Authority
    Currents
    Doppler Radar
    7-Day
    MarketPlace
  • Restaurants
  • Go Green!
  • Auto Map
  • Business Connections
  • Financial Advice
  • Legal Advice
  • New Home Listings
  • Your Home, Your Investment
  • Entertainment
  • Recipes
  • Jobs
  • The Wedding Planner
  • Martha's Tip of the Day
  • Advertise With WOWT
  • Possible Identity Theft Ring Probed Save Email Print
    Theft investigation, shooting uncovers evidence at hotel
    Posted: 10:33 PM May 7, 2008
    Last Updated: 12:11 AM May 8, 2008
    Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com

    A | A | A

    The investigation into Wednesday's shooting at the downtown Courtyard by Marriott Omaha indicates the four people arrested may have been part of an identity theft ring.

    investigators seized methamphetamine, syringes, a laptop and a copier, 15-20 credit cards, ATM cards, school IDs, Social Security cards and hair dye from the suspects' two rooms.

    Jason Galle and Dana McCoy had just checked into the hotel and investigators think they were planning on staying awhile. “It sounds like they have the beginning of a sophisticated identity theft ring,” says Jaimee Napp, head of Nebraska's Identity Theft Council.

    She can't help but think how the alert hotel clerk who questioned the use of the Marriott Rewards card contacted the owner and then police and how the quick-thinking deputies checking out the stolen card call prevented big-time financial pain for others.

    "Our information's worth about $20 on the street. So when they smash and grab, they're trying to find as much as they can, steal the mail right out of your mailbox and bring it all to one location and add it up. This is how much you get and then they trade it."

    The top two on this week's Council Bluffs Most Wanted are Jason Galle and Dana McCoy, both wanted for theft.

    Five years ago, when Bellevue Police recovered a stolen car, they found Jason Galle's paperwork inside, furlough documents from an Iowa prison so he could go to his mother's funeral in South Dakota. When investigators checked with the prison, Galle never returned and was a fugitive.

    Galle, McCoy and their two associates face theft, drug and gun charges.

    More Stories
    Apartment Fire Investigated

    Shooting Victim Identified

    A Woman on a Mission

    Driver Critically Hurt in Crash

    Vet Checks Out Rescued Cats

    The House That Jack Built

    Auction Gets Home Sold

    TB Case Investigated

    Post Your Comments
    First Name:
    Location:
    Enter Comments: characters left
    Email (optional):
    Email will not be displayed on site. For station contact purpose only.
    Read Comments
    Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.
    Posted by: tj Location: omaha on May 8, 2008 at 02:13 PM
    Great job to the law enforcement, and for the hotel employees that caught them in the act...need more employees like this

    Posted by: Steve Location: Omaha on May 8, 2008 at 12:22 PM
    When I first heard about this shooting yesterday, the first words out of my mouth were, "I bet meth was involved." No surprise.

    Posted by: cheryl Location: omaha on May 8, 2008 at 11:43 AM
    Thank god!!! My biggest fear is to have someone steal my identity.

    Posted by: Marriott Employee Location: omaha on May 8, 2008 at 11:36 AM
    I have worked with Marriott Company and have for 3 years...this clerk did an exceptional job and so did the MRW company by contacting the client due to suspicion. Congrats to OPD and Sheriffs as well...I hope the injured officer is doing well.

    Posted by: Laura Location: omaha on May 8, 2008 at 10:31 AM
    Personal ID for identity theft is only worth $20 profit to the thief? And they can't get a job and make three times that in a day, why?! Oh that's right, they're to high to get and/or keep a job.

    Posted by: Chris Location: Millard on May 8, 2008 at 07:44 AM
    Great work by the Clerk and great work Sheriffs. And great coverage on this story WOWT!!!

    Desktop Weather
  • Video: Hour-by-Hour Forecast Updates
  • AP Online Network
    Olympic Zone
    Health News
  • Family Health
  • Health Check
  • Kids Corner
  • Channel 6 News Features






  • Heartland's Most Wanted
  • Product Recalls

  • Media Partners