Police: Man passed fake bills for lotto tickets
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Fort Wayne Police have asked for the public’s help to identify a man who authorities believe passed several counterfeit bills for lottery tickets at a gas station earlier this month.
Police were called around 10 p.m. Jan. 7 to the Marathon gas station at 7440 St Joe Road on a report of a theft in progress by way of counterfeit bills. There, a clerk told police that a man had come into the store and was buying lottery tickets in high-dollar amounts, which she thought was “unusual for him,” according to a police report.
The man then asked the clerk to return his change in $5s and $10s rather than $20s, which he was paying with, the report said.
At the counter, the man announced he’d won a $75 prize and a $50 prize, the report said. The clerk told police that she did not cash out the $50 prize because she realized the $20 bill he had passed her was fake, according to the report.
After the clerk told the man that the bill was fake, he said he’d won the money in a dice game and he “didn’t know what she was talking about.” When the owner of the gas station called police, the man said “he wasn’t going to jail for this” and fled, the report said.
The man drove off in a silver car, police said.
The man was dressed in a red hooded sweatshirt and gray shoes. The clerk estimated he was in his early-to-mid 20s and was 6’0″ to 6’2″ tall, the report said.
Police released a surveillance image of the suspect on Tuesday.
Anyone able to identify this suspect is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 436-STOP (436-7867).
