Sidney convenience stores have been hit with fake $50 bills recently. As of Tuesday, three of the bills have been passed off.
Usually the perpetrator tries to catch the business when it is very busy and people are standing in line. It is done very quickly and the attendant doesn’t use the bank pen to analyze the bogus bills due to the hectic time.
According to Sidney Police Chief Joe Aikens, investigators have video of the individual they suspect passed the bill and it is not a traveler – it is a local person. He said he is confident that the police would arrest someone soon.
Aikens explained that the bank pens work to check out any and all bills, not just larger denominations. In addition, he said it was quite obvious that the bill was not real once you really looked at it.
Sidney police must notify the Secret Service of the counterfeit bills.
While none of the funny money has been reported in the Kimball area, it is recommended that businesses use caution when accepting cash and contact law enforcement if a bill looks suspicious.