One Counterfeit Bill Passer Caught, Another Foiled

What Wauwatosa's chief of detectives recently called turned a bit in favor of the good guys Saturday. A woman was caught in Franklin after changing a fake bill at a Mayfair shop and a man was turned away from a Tosa outlet store without his funny money and the goods he hoped to buy with it.

According to police reports:

At 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Franklin police called the store in to check for a counterfeit $100 bill. Franklin officers had arrested a woman who had passed a fake $100 at the WalMart there, and she had admitted to passing another one around noon at Torrid.

Sure enough, the bill was located. It turned out to be a real $5 bill that had been bleached and reprinted as a $100.

No other information was available on the woman's arrest in Franklin.

Too much time before the snap

Tosa police say that among the keys to passing counterfeit cash are quickness and distraction. Clerks who are rushed are more apt to fall victim to fraud.

A would-be scammer took way too long trying to set up his deception.

At 8:50 p.m. Saturday, a salesman at the , 3203 N. Mayfair Rd., reported that a man had tried to make a purchase with $450 worth of counterfeit bills in $20, $50 and $100 denominations.

The suspect had made repeated visits to the store over a week, seeking out the same salesman and trying to cut a cash discount deal for a washer and dryer. Finally, unable to get the price he wanted, he decided Saturday on buying the dryer and an inexpensive printer.

He paid cash, but while he waited in his car for the merchandise to be brought out and loaded, the fraud was discovered. He eventually came back inside to see what was taking so long and was told there was a problem with the transaction and he should wait a little longer.

At that, the suspect apparently realized he had been found out and that if he waited, it would be for a pair of handcuffs. He left quickly, but police are seeking a known suspect.