Counterfeit money used at local stores could be part of a bigger operation, Cranberry police say

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Cranberry police say a man from Brooklyn tried to use counterfeit money in several local stores last Friday. They say it might be part of a bigger operation.

Officers say it’s common to get reports of people trying to use counterfeit money at local businesses, but this investigation is a little different.

“It happens more often than you would think,” Lt. Chuck Mascellino said. “We get it, I would say, probably once or twice a month.”

Last Friday, police said Christopher Aiken of Brooklyn, New York, tried to use fake money to buy stuff at two stores in Cranberry and one in Ross Township.

Police said the incidents started at Best Buy, where two men bought $850 worth of electronic merchandise. They paid with fake $50 bills.

The manager realized after the purchase, as the two men got into a Jeep and drove off.

That manager found the Jeep at this Lowe’s about a mile away.

There, police said Aiken and another man tried to buy high-end doorbells for $700 in two separate purchases. Again, they tried to use fake $50 bills.

The employee noticed the bills were fake, with several of them having the same serial number, and wouldn’t allow the sale.

Police in Ross Township later found Aiken at Target.

Investigators said Aiken had 16 more counterfeit $50s in his pocket. He was taken into custody.

Police said they believe this is part of a much larger counterfeit-money operation.

“The investigation is continuing. We are hoping to find more people involved as we believe this is an organized group conducting this,” Mascellino said. “I would say most of the people involved are out of the New York area.”

Police tell me if you think you’ve received any fake money from a bank or a store while getting change to call your bank or the police department so they can check it. Aiken is due in court July 21.

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