Updated 10/11/2012 04:59 PM
Counterfeit money investigation
Colonie Police are looking for those responsible for passing counterfeit bills. They say there have been several incidents where fake twenty and one-hundred dollar bills were used at various locations. Erin Connolly has more on the investigation.
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
COLONIE, N.Y. -- Take a close look at these surveillance photos. Police say these are the faces of people who have been passing counterfeit money in the Colonie area. In fact, they say over the last three weeks, there have been eight incidents involving counterfeit twenties and four incidents of counterfeit one hundred dollar bills.
Lt. Robert Winn of the Colonie Police Department said, "Right now the frequency of this is bothering us because it's happening so frequently, however, the money numbers are low. Both of these, the twenties and hundreds, we're talking about just over one thousand dollars in loss.”
The twenty dollar bills are complete counterfeits that have been illegally printed with repeating serial numbers. The one hundred dollar bills are actually five dollar bills that have been bleached and reprinted over with 100 dollar information.
Lt. Winn said, "It comes as we approach the holiday season, when you see a lot more fraud and counterfeit issues, so it's a good time to remind clerks out there to be alert.”
The counterfeit twenties and hundreds have been used at a number of businesses, including the Stewart’s on Sand Creek Road, the Burger King and Dunkin Donuts on Loudon Road and Five Below and Party City in Latham Farms.
Lt. Winn said, "Most of these businesses are high volume cash businesses. In other words, it's very common to see twenties and hundreds come across the table.”
Fershid Hushmandy, the owner of Coulson's News and Variety, wasn't hit in this latest incident, but was a victim of counterfeit bills in the past
Hushmandy said, "When a customer comes in with a fifty, one hundred, even a twenty, we are so used to taking cash, only by feeling it sometimes do we get a sense.”
And he says he hopes those involved get caught.
Hushmandy said, "It's very sad, but those guys doing it, they don't have a heart. They don't care. So we small guys get hurt.”
Police say the passing of both bills does not appear to be related. Of course, if you have any information about these crimes or the identity of the suspects, you're asked to call Colonie Police.