But they suspect James Brady, 57, and Christine Brady, 55, are responsible for even more illegal buys.

The Sanford, Fla., couple was arrested Thursday at a show at the Howard Johnson Inn, 1010 S. Freeway, after trying to pass a check from a closed account to a vendor who was defrauded in 1999, said Tucson police Detective Martha Bracamonte.

The vendor recognized the handwriting and called police after verifying that the information was fraudulent, she said. As officers took the couple into custody, she said, another vendor arrived and told officers the couple also had defrauded him.

After the couple had been taken for questioning, two other vendors from a show at Tucson Electric Park, 2500 E. Ajo Way, called to report that people matching the Bradys' descriptions had defrauded them Wednesday, Bracamonte said.

A search of the couple's hotel room turned up a large amount of merchandise, mostly American Indian jewelry, police said. Investigators also found forged traveler's checks and, in a search of the couple's car, found forged checks as well as fake credit and business cards.

Police estimated the items are worth $50,000. The figure doesn't include the $5,700 in checks the couple tried to pass at the Howard Johnson Inn, one of 36 gem show venues.

The Bradys remained at the Pima County Jail Friday in lieu of $50,000 bond apiece.

They each face five counts of theft, five counts of forgery and one count of fraudulent schemes and artifice.

Tucson police Sgt. Marco Borboa said there are extra police patrols at show sites and 58 off-duty officers per day working there. Off-duty personnel from the Pima County Sheriff's Department and other agencies also are working the shows.

* Contact L. Anne Newell at 629-9412 or lnewell@aazstarnet.com.