BELLEVUE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Investigators have released more photos of two people they are still trying to identify in a Brown County counterfeit case.
The incidents began in May at the Wal-Mart store on Main St.
“They’ll take, in this case, take what appears to be a ten dollar bill,” said Sgt Roman Aronstein with the Brown County Sheriff’s Office.
“They’ll remove the ink from that and they’ll put on a higher-denomination bill like a $100 bill on there.”
It’s proven to be hard for retailers to track.
The suspects in a counterfeit scam at a Walmart in Bellevue committed the crime in May. Walmart didn’t know it received counterfeit bills until it submitted the money to its bank.
“That’s what these offenders really bank on, the fact that some places do a better job than others and even if they’re identified, like in some of these cases, that the currency is counterfeit, law enforcement is not always notified and when law enforcement is notified a lot of times they’ll target numerous jurisdictions, making it more difficult to connect the dots for us,” said Aronstein.
The Brown County Sheriff’s Office has some advice for those working the register as well.
Aronstein tells FOX 11 when you’re handed a bill, especially a big one, check out the security strip. It should match the dollar amount. Second, if you have the chance, watch the body language of the person checking out.
“That sometimes gives you a lot more information than maybe the bill itself. Did the shopper come in with one or more people? Did they spend a very short amount of time in the store and picked out an item of low value, something under $10? Or, it could be a gift card is the only thing they’re purchasing. They’re looking to maximize the amount of change they receive for this counterfeit bill.”
Officials believe the two are working together, have ties to Milwaukee and have appeared to be operating throughout Wisconsin and other states. They ask you to stay vigilant as they may return to areas they’ve been successful in.
The female suspect is believed to have a visible tattoo on her neck but that has not been confirmed.
The male suspect seems to have a unique tattoo on his right arm.
Brown County deputies are investigating an instance of counterfeit money being passed at the Bellevue Wal-mart on June 3.
If you have any information regarding this incident, please call the Brown County Sheriff’s Office at (920) 448-4230. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward by contacting Green Bay Area Crime Stoppers by phone at #920-432-7867, through their website at 432stop.com, or by downloading the P3 tip app through Google Play or the App Store.
Comments