By Pete McIntyre

Police arrest counterfeit money suspect

Mar 3, 2020 | 11:33 AM

RCMP in the Vernon-North Okanagan are advising merchants to check the cash they have recently taken in to make sure it’s not counterfeit.

The advice came after a 35-year-old man was arrested on Monday in Vernon. Police said the suspect was allegedly found with instruments and tools used to make counterfeit currency as well as several hundred dollars in fake Canadian bills.

The suspect was arrested after leaving a business on 30th Avenue where counterfeit money was used.

RCMP Cpl. Tania Finn, media relations officer, said police were alerted around 6:30 a.m. Monday morning when a man used a counterfeit bill at a business in the 4500 block of 27th Street.

“The clerk reported the incident to police who seized the counterfeit bill and obtained a description of the suspect and his vehicle. A short while later, an alert citizen reported a possible impaired driver to RCMP. The licence plate and vehicle description the caller provided matched the description from the earlier fraud.”

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Finn said the vehicle left the area by the time officers arrived and could not be found, but around 4 p.m. that afternoon, police were told the vehicle had returned to the area of 30th Avenue and 31st Street where the vehicle was found unoccupied.

“The police officer decided set up surveillance on the vehicle in hopes the driver would return. Fortunately, our officer did not have to wait too long as he saw an individual matching the description from the earlier fraud exit a business on 30th Avenue,” Finn said.

As police approached, the man tried to evade them by re-entering the store and leaving through a different exit, but his plan was foiled and he was arrested.

“A search of the suspect located instruments and tools used to create counterfeit currency as well as several hundred dollars of counterfeit Canadian currency in a variety of dominations. Police followed up with the business and learned the suspect had, once again, used fake bills to purchase merchandise,” Finn added.

The suspect from Kelowna is in police custody facing charges including making and possession of counterfeit money.

“Police believe there may be other businesses in the area who have received the counterfeit currency. To determine if the bill is real or fake, look closely at the hologram to ensure the denomination matches the denomination on the bill, examine the edges of the bill to determine if it is poorly cut and not uniform, and feel the bill to check smoothness and not waxy or rough. Any suspect bills can be verified by a bank,” stated Finn.

Any businesses that may have been victimized by the fraud are asked to contact the RCMP non-emergency line of 250-545-7171 to report the incident.

by Pete McIntyre

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