Police search for suspect using counterfeit $50 bills

OXFORD, Ohio (WKRC) - Funny money was floating around a local community; and it wasn’t just small change.

Someone was passing around fake $50 bills at local stores. Walmart was one of the stores the counterfeiter hit on 9/11. They think he was responsible for passing bad money at as many as six others. Police said instead of earning it they just make their own and many get away with it.

Police released a picture of the man they were looking for, they said he first hit a Walmart store in Oxford using $700 in counterfeit $50s to buy iPads. He got away before clerks noticed the money was bogus.

Oxford Police Chief John Jones said that was not the first Walmart he targeted. Later the same day, Fairfield Township police said the same man was trying to use counterfeit $50s to buy more iPads but store clerks were on to the funny money.

Police Chief Matt Fruchey said the suspect made his getaway just as police arrived at the store. Clerks were trained to use pen detectors to track bogus cash. Some were not consistent in checking the cash that exchanges hands. If it passes through, stores incur a loss.

It was a year ago, two teams of counterfeiters passed fake $100 bills at several Oxford restaurants and shops. They haven't been seen since. Police said the counterfeiters tend to run in teams but they weren’t sure whether the guy they were looking for was linked to those who passed bad money in the area a year ago.

If people have any information that could help police catch the counterfeit suspect call Crime Stoppers at 352-3040.