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Sunday, July 08, 2012

VIGINLANT EMPLOYEES DETECT COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY, OCEAN CITY POLICE SEEKING ASSISTANCE IDENTIFYING SUSPECTS


Department is warning residents, business owners and employees to be on the lookout for counterfeit currency. On Friday, July 6, 2012, Ocean City Police responded to three boardwalk businesses in reference to two males attempting to pass counterfeit bills.

The first incident, which occurred at approximately 7:40 p.m., took place in the 200 block of Atlantic Avenue, at which time the suspects attempted to make a small purchase with a counterfeit $20 bill. Employees at the establishment recognized the counterfeit currency and denied the sale, at which time the suspects fled the area.

The suspects made two additional attempts, one at approximately 10:54 p.m. in the 100 block of South Atlantic Avenue and the other at 11:10 p.m. in the 400 block of South Atlantic Avenue. In both instances, the employees detected the counterfeit bill by using a counterfeit pen.

The Ocean City Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating the suspects who attempted to pass the counterfeit currency. The suspects are described as two African American males.

•One suspect had short, black hair and was wearing a gray shirt and blue pants. He was believed to be approximately 17-years-old and approximately 5’7” tall.
•The second suspect had long, black braided hair, pulled back into a ponytail, and was wearing a black shirt. He had a dark complexion and was believed to be approximately 17 years old and approximately 5’8” tall.

Ocean City Police are asking anyone with iabout this incident, or the suspects involved, to please contact the Ocean City Police Department at 410.723.6600. In addition, Ocean City Police are encouraging citizens to closely examine currency by looking carefully at the money you receive. Citizens should be aware of the security features located on currency. The three main security features located on bills are: shifting inks on the number, security threads, which display the denomination of the currency imbedded in the bill and the watermark of the main image on the face of the bill located on the right side of note.

Ocean City Police Department is offering these tips to detect suspicious or counterfeit currency:

•The genuine portrait appears lifelike and stands out distinctly from the background. The counterfeit portrait is usually lifeless and flat. Details merge into the background, which is often too dark or mottled.
•On a genuine bill, the saw-tooth points of the Federal Reserve and Treasury seals are clear, distinct and sharp. The counterfeit seals may have uneven, blunt or broken saw-tooth points.
•Genuine serial numbers have a distinctive style and are evenly spaced. The serial numbers are printed in the same ink color as the Treasury Seal. On a counterfeit, the serial numbers may differ in color or shade of ink from the Treasury seal. The numbers may not be uniformly spaced or aligned.

Ocean City Police are asking that residents and businesses contact the department if you locate suspicious currency. In addition, the department reminds businesses and community groups that a crime prevention officer is available to conduct counterfeit awareness presentations upon appointment through the Public Affairs Office.

For further information on detecting counterfeit U. S. currency, citizens are encouraged to visit the United States Secret Service Web site at: http://www.secretservice.gov/know_your_money.shtmlnformation

6 comments:

Jack K Richards said...

Go get'um OCPD, I remember nabbing a gentleman with a ton of phony bills one time. He was sitting at the bar at the Stowaway when I caught him

Anonymous said...

This is so simple. A trained store employee should just pull out his or hers 38sp and put them in a corner and wait for the police. That way this crap would stop, and save us taxpayers a lot of money.

Anonymous said...

Oh. Just another innocent Travon Martin.

Anonymous said...

Most time its UMES students learning tools of the trade.

Anonymous said...

The counterfeit money has the following printed on it:

Federal Reserve Note

The Feds have been printing it since 1913.

It is backed by nothing. Just printed out of thin air!

Anonymous said...

This is so simple. A trained store employee should just pull out his or hers 38sp and put them in a corner and wait for the police. That way this crap would stop, and save us taxpayers a lot of money.

July 8, 2012 5:07 PM

Evidently you don't know the law. And there will be a lot more of taxpayers monies wasted when the crook sues the clerk.

Stop watching so many westerns. That stuff is made up too or didn't you know that?