Toronto police are warning residents of the city to be on alert after discovering a "fraud lab" that they believe is connected to several cases of identity theft.
Police said the lab was discovered in the area of Bloor Street East and Parliament Street, full of computers, scanners, printers and other items.
Among the electronics, police said they found stacks of paper financial statements, bank documents and cheques that had apparently been stolen from the mail.
One of the areas targeted was the Beaches neighbourhood, police said.
Though police did not provide specific details, they said labs often contain:
- Fake driver's licences, created in victims' names
- Fake bank statements
- Fake SIN cards
- Fake government identification
- Bills and lease agreement documents stolen from the mail
- Pay cheques, blank cheques and direct deposit statements
- Student and bank loan documents
- T4 tax slips and tax returns
- Medical documents
Officers warned the public to "be vigilant" with their mail and shred documents that include names, addresses and other personal information prior to their disposal.
"We put blinds on our windows, locks on our doors but, most importantly, we need to protect our identification," a statement issued Monday said.
Police recommended putting locks on mailboxes as a precaution.
The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with more information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5507, or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477 (TIPS).
