Patterson police release photos of counterfeiting suspects

Patterson Police Services has released several photos of people suspected of passing counterfeit $100 bills at businesses last month.

On Jan. 25, two women used counterfeit bills to purchase nearly $4,000 in MasterCard and Visa gift cards at the Walmart at Sperry and Las Palmas avenues, police said. The next day, the women, apparently joined by a man, tried to pass a single phony $100 bill at a Subway shop in Patterson. And later in the day, a single bill was passed at a McDonald’s near the Walmart.

A red, four-door sedan is associated with the Walmart and McDonald’s incidents, Patterson police said.

The investigation began when the counterfeit money was brought to the attention of Walmart security staff, and deputies interviewed an employee as a person of interest. Shortly after the crimes, Patterson police Chief Jeff Dirkse said of the bogus bills, “They were pretty decent forgeries. Not perfect, but good.”

This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 8:13 AM with the headline "Patterson police release photos of counterfeiting suspects."