Marin deputy snags armed fraud suspect

A search of a vehicle in Marin City turned up an embossing machine, fake credit cards, a loaded gun and other evidence, the sheriff's department said.

A Stockton man was arrested in Marin City after a deputy found him in a stolen vehicle containing evidence of financial fraud, the sheriff’s department reported.

The incident happened Friday afternoon on Cole Drive. The deputy determined that the vehicle had been reported stolen in Oakland and had stolen license plates from a similar vehicle.

A search of the vehicle turned up fraudulent credit cards and identification cards and an embossing machine allegedly used to create fake credit cards, the sheriff’s department said. The vehicle also contained suspected burglary tools and a loaded gun that was not registered.

Ricardo Cruz, 33, was booked into the Marin County Jail on suspicion of identity theft, forgery, weapons offenses and other counts. He is also accused of violating the conditions of his release in a prior weapons case.

Cruz remained in custody Saturday.