ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4) — A man has been arrested facing 30 forgery and drug-related charges after investigation into a retail theft led authorities to find an alleged identity theft operation, according to probable cause documents.

David Krick Jr., 49, is facing 27 counts related to forgery and identity theft and three counts related to drug possession after police allegedly found wallets, fake IDs, devices to forge ID cards, debit cards, illicit substances, syringes and a digital scale in his reportedly stolen car in St. George.

St. George Police were called to the Ulta Beauty store to investigate a retail theft on Jan. 31 around 8:30 p.m. when they noticed suspicious activity from the driver of a gold BMW with a California license plate parked in the lot. The driver, later identified as David Krick Jr., was reportedly smoking outside the car when he immediately put out the cigarette and rushed into the car after seeing police, the affidavit said.

“I watched another adult female that was walking a dog around in the parking lot approach the vehicle and get into the front passenger seat. The vehicle remained parked for a brief moment but the driver would not take his foot off the brake,” the affidavit read.

There were two men and two women in the vehicle, three of whom officers said looked visibly nervous. The other, who police said looked like one of the retail theft suspects, reportedly sat in a “lethargic” state, appearing to be unaware of what was happening.

Police said the driver provided a New Jersey license with a photo that appeared similar to himself, however it was dark and difficult to see, according to the affidavit. Officers could not initially find any information from the license, though they eventually located an identity without access to the photo since it was an out-of-state document.

A police K9 searched the vehicle and indicated that there were drugs in the car, according to police. While the driver denied that he was a drug user, police searched and found substances appearing to be methamphetamine and heroin. They also reportedly found many full syringes, tin foil and a digital scale.

During the search, police reported finding multiple wallets in the center console, and noticed that many were allegedly forged IDs from 11 different states. Many of the IDs had the same photograph as the one the driver had shown him but with different information. They also reportedly found debit cards in a pile with the same name as the fake IDs and papers full of personal information.

Police then reportedly located electronic devices and printers that could be used to make fake IDs and several hundred blank white cards.

“It appeared to be a large-scale counterfeiting operation that was likely creating and depriving numerous victims,” the affidavit said.

In an interview with police, Krick said “he was about to make [the officer] famous with the information that he had to provide.” He then continued to tell officers that his bosses, who were parked next to them in a supposed “brand new white Cadillac Escalade rental,” were “forcing him to work,” police said.

He said his bosses would follow him to a bank, usually Wells Fargo, and give him identifying information for which he would then allegedly make an ID card and use it to withdraw all the money from the bank account.

Krick reportedly told police he had been involved for about a month and was being threatened by his bosses, stating, “David said he tried to sneak away at one point, but they found him, and he said it did not go well for him.”

Krick told police he did not know how many victims they had scammed, according to the probable cause documents.

All four individuals were arrested and booked in the Washington County Jail.