Lake City, Florida- July 27, 2012
In Lake City, an S&S convenience store on US Highway 90 is one of 13 businesses to fall victim to counterfeit money since July 15th. Now police are doing everything they can to catch the culprits.
That includes following up on their best lead yet. Surveillance footage was taken in the Wal-Mart on West U.S. Highway 90 around 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon. That's where an unidentified African-American man bought a $500 dollar gift card using 10 fake $50 dollar bills. Despite the fact that he got away, the quality of the fake cash is not top of the line.
Officer Craig Strickland of the Lake City Police Department said "indication would tell us that it's most likely home-made. Probably on an ink jet printer or a laser printer. It's not that sophisticated in the way that they're being made. That's why in a couple of the instances that have been reported to us the clerk actually took the time, felt the bill, looked at it and was able to determine that it was counterfeit."
The local S&S store manager, James Haley, said "they come in here, they start acting nervous and everything. You start making yourself aware of what they're doing to make sure you're checking for it."
More than $1,200 dollars in fake cash has been passed. But there are things you can do to prevent it. A Counterfeit ID pen can be used. Or your eyes can be just as effective.
Mary Snyder is an S&S store clerk. She said "the number right here [holding ten dollar bill] in the lower corner here, if you change angles it's holographic. It will actually change colors."
Anyone with information about the counterfeit money is urged to contact the lead investigator on the case, Paul Kash.
PAUL KASH'S NUMBER IS: (386) 758-5422
