Police: Alert bank staff lead to arrest in Saratoga Springs forged document case

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Alert bank staff led to the arrest of a man in a forged document case in Saratoga Springs, police said.

Police Wednesday arrested Antonio Vargas, 56, of the Bronx, and charged him with second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and two misdemeanors.

He is accused of possessing a forged passport card and attempting to cash a forged check, police said.

The investigation began at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday as police were called to the Saratoga National Bank on South Broadway. Staff alerted police of a man, Vargas, there attempting to cash a forged check with a possibly false identification, police said.

Vargas left before officers could get there, but a detailed description by bank employees led police to find Vargas a few blocks away and he was detained without incident, police said.

Further investigation determined the identification Vargas presented was a forged passport card and the check was also forged.

Vargas was also charged with misdemeanor criminal impersonation and unlawful possession of a personal ID in furtherance of a crime, police said.

Police then contacted the Department of Homeland Security due to the forged federal document and an agent responded to assist. Vargas was arraigned and released on the local charges, then turned over to Homeland Security, police said.

Categories: -News-, Saratoga County, Saratoga Springs