OLD BRIDGE – Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man who has allegedly tried three times to use fake $100 bills to make purchases at two local businesses.
And twice those transactions were caught on video.
On Sept. 24 a man wearing an orange construction shirt allegedly used a counterfeit $100 bill for a purchase at Mike’s Pizza in Gateway Plaza on Route 9, Old Bridge police said in a Facebook post.
According to police, the man initially gave the store clerk a credit card which she swiped and then he asked her to cancel that transaction, so he could pay in cash.
Detectives are pursuing the credit card transaction with the bank to determine if the credit card is stolen or fraudulent or if it provides the suspect’s identity.
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Police said the man twice tried to make purchases at the pizza shop with counterfeit money.
Then on Monday the same man who passed the counterfeit $100 bill at Mike’s allegedly tried to use three different counterfeit $100 bills at The Home Depot on Route 9, according to Old Bridge police on Facebook.
Using the same method of operation, the man, this time dressed in a dark blue shirt and green pants, initially attempted to use a credit card for the purchase and then decided to pay in cash, according to police.
This time the store clerk realized the money was fake and refused to accept it, police said.
Anyone with information about the man’s identity and location is asked to contact Old Bridge Detective Mike Cronin at 732-721-5600, ext 3250 or [email protected]. Callers can remain anonymous, the post states.
Suzanne Russell covers crime, courts, and other forms of mayhem from throughout the Central Jersey area for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact her at [email protected].