OCPD Press Release

OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND

August 7, 2008 2008005852
Quite often, citizens' hunches turn out to be valuable information to us. If you have information that you feel we should know, we encourage you to leave us e-mail. OCPD@ococean.com

OCPD Arrest Man for Passing Counterfeit Money
On August 7, 2008, Ocean City Police Officers began receiving complaints from downtown boardwalk businesses regarding counterfeit $20 bills being passed.
OCPD officers immediately began alerting boardwalk area businesses to be on the lookout for the counterfeit money. Several downtown businesses located several of
the counterfeit $20 bills.

OCPD officers have recovered six, $20 dollar bills having the following three different serial numbers: IB114089849C, IB23218949B and EB75935983J.

Based on information obtained by officer during the investigation a suspect description wasbroadcast. OCPD investigators located a male fitting the description of the suspect that had previously been put out. A store clerk who had received one of the counterfeit $20 bills positively identified the suspect as the person who passed the counterfeit money.

As a result of information obtained during the investigation, the suspect, identified as Eric Lyndell Searles, (36) of Capital Heights, Maryland was arrested and charged with passing a counterfeit $20 bill as well as misdemeanor theft.
Every year the public is victimized by the counterfeiting of United States currency and other U.S. obligations. Please carefully examine the money you receive.

The United States Secret Service web site (www.secretservice.gov) is a good source forinformation regarding the various types of unique identification and currency authentication marks for all U. S. Currency.

All Ocean City businesses please use take a few extra minutes to examine large denominations of money. Do not solely rely on the “counterfeit identification pen” to detect counterfeit bills. Pay attention to watermarks, serial numbers and print quality of the bill. Searles was taken before a District Court Commissioner and released on his own recognizance.

ERIC LYNDELL SEARLESS

Name #: 367919
Photo Date: 08/07/2008
Alias:
Cautions:
Address History: Employment History:
SMT:
1880 ADDISON RD CAPITOL HGTS MD 20743
DL/ State: S642234564237
Name: SEARLESS, ERIC LYNDELL
User: MLEVY Ocean City Police Department 08/07/2008 18:48
Physical Char:
Facial Hair/Beard Goatee; Hair Length/Bald; Handed/Right
Handed
Home Phone:
Local #:
State Id: FBI #:
Henry 1:
Nenry 2:
NCIC:
POB: , DC
*NM367919*
*IM367919*
Height: 5'10 Wgt: 210 Hair: BLK Eye: BRO
DOB: 03/24/1972 Age: 36 Race: B Sex: Mal