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Police on lookout for identity thief at Daytona 500

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.,None — Speedweeks is one day closer to its signature event: the Daytona 500.

Daytona police said they are on the lookout for a career identity thief who's known to target NASCAR teams' pit crews. Police said they think he was in Daytona last month for the Rolex races.

It would be hard for him to steal this weekend because there is so much security at the Daytona International Speedway. But police said he's smarter than that and he knows when teams aren't watching.

Inside the Daytona International Speedway, police are looking everywhere, and not just because they're working security. Some are looking for one man in particular who steals from race teams and has eluded police for years.

"This guy's good, he knows what he's doing. He's done it several times and he knows how to slip in and slip out virtually unnoticed," Detective Scott Frantz said.

The suspect slipped out of a Target on International Speedway Boulevard where he used credit cards he stole from the track. His most recent round of pilfering was at the 50th Rolex 24.

Detectives said he has stolen hundreds of thousand of dollars over the years.

"He walks around just like he's a fan and when he realizes everybody has moved over to the pits; he's in the trailers," Frantz said.

Police said he only strikes during small events, like qualifying races and practices when security is lax. But he has never stolen from teams during Speedweeks, which would be tough to do.

Police said they don't believe he'll try anything at the 500, but they think he could be in the area and detectives are asking fans and race teams to watch out.

Detectives believe the suspect is from the Atlanta area, but he has also stolen at the Sebring Speedway in south Florida, and has used the credit cards up and down I-95.