Tribune staff reports
Seymour police continue to investigate four reports of counterfeit bills showing up at local businesses and banks since the middle of the month.
It’s too early to tell if any of the incidents are connected, but local police are urging people to look closely at any money they might receive during a financial transaction.
If they find anything suspicious, they can contact their financial institution or a local police department, Seymour Police Chief Bill Abbott said.
Abbott said reports of counterfeit bills showing up at businesses during the holidays is not that uncommon.
“Everyone is in a hurry, and they (clerks) don’t check as well,” he said.
Abbott said with today’s sophisticated printers, people can make bills that look pretty close to the real thing.
“It’s usually the quality of the paper that gets them,” he said.
But a counterfeiter who gets lucky by passing a couple of bills without getting caught sometimes decides to print a lot and sell it to others for 50 cents on the dollar, Abbott said.
The four incidents in Seymour include two reported on the evening of Dec. 18 at a business on North Sandy Creek Drive on the city’s far east side. A third report of a counterfeit bill was reported Dec. 19 at a bank on East Tipton Street.
The most recent incident was reported on Christmas day at a store in the 300 block of East Tipton Street.
“They all involve $20 bills,” Abbott said.
Abbott said its too early to say whether any of those four incidents are related. It also was reported on Dec. 21 that two men attempted to pass counterfeit money at a business on Stevens Way.
Separate uses of counterfeit bills also have been reported in Jennings and Bartholomew counties. The Jennings County report occurred at a store in the 2400 block of North State Road 3 on the morning of Dec. 14.
Columbus police also investigated a report of a counterfeit $20 passed at a restaurant Dec. 10 on North State Street. That incident involved a customer at a restaurant who said he had received the bill during a transaction before visiting the restaurant.
On Dec. 9, North Vernon officers also recovered a counterfeit $100 bill that was found on the ground in front of a dumpster on North State Street.
Abbott said people need to be cautious and exam the quality of the paper of their money.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”At a glance” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
To report a possible counterfeit bill call a financial institution or Seymour Police Department at 812-522-1234.
[sc:pullout-text-end]