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Police: Counterfeit currency appearing in Clairton

CLAIRTON, Pa. — Authorities in Clairton are investigating after several counterfeit bills have appeared throughout the area in the past few days.

According to police, someone used a counterfeit $50 bill at the Dollar General on Tuesday. Later in the day, someone else also tried to use a fake $50 bill, but was denied.

Also on Tuesday, two separate pizza places -- Garletto's Pizza and Joe's Pizza -- reported people trying to use counterfeit $50 bills, police said. One of the businesses accepted the bill and the other denied it.

Investigators said store clerks were able to provide detectives with detailed descriptions of the people who used the bills or tried to use them.

An employee at Joe's Pizza told Channel 11's Jennifer Tomazic that the bill looked real, but felt fake.

https://twitter.com/JenniferTomazic/status/459731585831809025

According to police, the case is building and charges of forgery, receiving stolen property and theft by deception are expected by next week.

The mayor of Clairton, Rich Lattanzi, told Tomazic that he thinks the bills came from out of town.

Lattanzi said people should always be on the lookout for counterfeits, and he commended store clerks for calling with information and spotting the fakes. He also praised police for quick work in putting a stop to it before it got bigger.