Counterfeit bills found

Counterfeit bills found
WARREN -- Business owners should be careful this holiday season not to ring up bogus money.
Sgt. Al Bansky, who is in charge of investigating financial crimes, said he has received three reports in the past two weeks about counterfeit money.
Bansky said the latest involved a fake $50 bill given to a cashier at Burger King on West Market Street. The clerk called police, but the man left the restaurant before authorities arrived.
The detective noted business owners should make sure to use a counterfeit-marking pen. The pen makes a yellow color on real money, Bansky said.
Teen grabbed by man
NILES -- A 13-year-old girl told police a man grabbed her and made a lewd comment while she was walking to meet her friend.
According to reports, the girl was walking on West Street at 7:25 a.m. Thursday when the man grabbed her from behind. She hit him with her bookbag to get away, reports said.
The man is described as white, in his 20s or 30s, gray hair, about 5 feet 10 inches tall and wearing a maroon ski cap and checkered coat with a grey hood.
Atheism debate
YOUNGSTOWN -- "The Great Debate: Atheism/Christianity" is the topic of a live satellite seminar from 8 to 10 p.m. Sunday in Christ Church Presbyterian.
The seminar will feature a debate between Dr. Michael Newdow, whose lawsuit over the Pledge of Allegiance was upheld by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and Christian author and speaker Cliffe Knechtel.
Preregistration is requested. Call (330) 782-2611.
Shooting arrests
YOUNGSTOWN -- Kendall L. Smith, 29, of Rush Boulevard and Richard Armstrong Jr., 24, of Mable Avenue have been arrested on charges of attempted murder and aggravated robbery. Both are accused in the Nov. 12 shooting of Antonio Cleveland, 20, of Williamson Avenue. Smith was arrested Thursday in Niles; Armstrong was arrested Wednesday in Youngstown. Cleveland told police he was shot in his right shoulder and left leg at Erie Street and Oklahoma Avenue just before 9 p.m. when a car pulled up and at least one occupant opened fire. Cleveland made it to a house on Wayne Street to call for an ambulance.
Man critical after fire
BOARDMAN -- A township man is in critical condition in the burn center at Akron Children's Hospital after a kitchen fire Wednesday in Great China Buffet restaurant in the Shops at the Plaza.
Fire Lt. Jim McCreary said the 50-year-old man was cooking at the restaurant when grease in a pan caught fire.
He said the man tried to carry the burning pan outside, but grease and fire from the pan spilled on his body.
The man received third- and fourth-degree burns over 57 percent of his body.
There was no damage to the restaurant.
Shot during robbery
YOUNGSTOWN -- Bittu Singh was found by police lying on the floor behind the counter at Belmont Food Mart on Thursday afternoon, shot in the right wrist and right leg.
Singh told police a thin man in his 50s, dressed in a black T-shirt and long black coat, came into the store and pulled out a gun.
Singh, 32, of Boardman, said he was shot after he gave the robber his wallet and the money from the cash register.
Singh told police the robber, a regular customer, threatened to kill him if he followed.
He was in stable condition today in a local hospital.
Cause of fire sought
AUSTINTOWN -- Investigators are hoping the Mahoning County coroner can help them determine the cause of a fire Nov. 29 at 278 Ohltown Road, where Steve Fraley, 41, was found dead on the second floor.
Firefighters found flames on the first floor at about 10:20 a.m.
They had the blaze under control in about 45 minutes, but the home was destroyed.
Identity theft
AUSTINTOWN -- A 57-year-old Pinegrove Avenue man told police he discovered more than $2,000 in unauthorized Internet purchases had been charged to his Sky Bank debit card when he received the statement earlier this week.
According to police reports, the charges were made between Nov. 12 and Dec. 2.
The man told police he has no idea who may have made the charges or how they obtained his account number.