The father, Christopher Hendrickson of East Islip, N.Y., was arrested and charged with first-degree identity theft, police said. Investigators told Newsday Hendrickson used his own name, but lifted his son's Social Security number and used an altered date of birth to apply for a loan for the 2004 Cadillac CTS he bought in March.

Hendrickson was being investigated in an unrelated identity theft case when law enforcement officials uncovered the new incident involving his son, police said.