Florida police were called to Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Oct. 23 to confront a man on charges of trespassing. When they arrived, the Orange County deputies got a confession of much greater proportions.
“At that time rather than speak about the trespassing (the man) started speaking about credit card fraud,” Orange County Sheriff’s Officer Frank DelGuercio wrote in a police report obtained by ABC.
Jeffrey Hawkins, 49, waived his Miranda rights and willingly confessed to spending stealing credit card numbers for hotel stays for the past two decades. Hawkins, who is otherwise homeless, told police he is “sick of running.”
“Hawkins then began to confess that he has been committing credit card fraud since the 90s,” DelGuercio wrote. “He stated that he has been homeless and jobless since then and has just been traveling the country using and obtaining other people’s credit card numbers.”
Hawkins confessed to memorizing then writing down credit cards numbers and expiration dates he was able to see or overhear, according to the police report. According to DelGuercio’s report, police uncovered more than 100 stolen credit card numbers during a search of Hawkins’ room at the Disney resort. Police also found “numerous” credit card authorization forms, hotel receipts, business cards and three phones.
“I found numerous cards, receipts and other items indicating that Hawkins has been up and down the east coast doing the same thing,” DelGuercio wrote.
Disney security investigators had previously filed reports in reference to Hawkins on at least 26 occasions, totaling more than $18,000 in credit card fraud, the police report stated.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Disney resorts were among Hawkins’ favorite targets. Among items uncovered in his room were 26 room keys for various Disney resorts.
“It’s easy to commit fraud at Disney, and I have been here a lot,” Hawkins confessed, according to the police report.
WFTV reports Hawkins can be traced to several hotels on the Florida coast, and he also has warrants in Virginia. Hawkins, whose last-known address is in Baton Rouge, was charged with trafficking stolen credit cards, making false statements, fraudulently using credit cards and defrauding an innkeeper. He is being held on a $2,900 bond. According to inmate records, he has not yet attained an attorney.
Earlier this year, another homeless man, 30-year-old David Price, racked up about $3,000 in fraudulent credit card charges at a Walt Disney World resort before being caught. Price stayed at the resort using the previous guest’s credit card number. According to court papers, he snuck into the room after the guest checked out, phoned the front desk, claiming to be the guest, and advised he would be staying longer than planned. He was caught after spending only $3,000 because the guest happened to be a Disney employee who had left the area to attend a conference. Court papers state the man had similarly scammed the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cypress and Loews Portofino Bay at Universal.
