Fair vendors report finding counterfeit bills

Fair vendors report finding counterfeit bills

Staff report

Fair police confiscated several counterfeit bills during the Canfield Fair, which ran Aug. 28 through Labor Day.

Vendors spread throughout the Canfield Fairgrounds found eight counterfeit $10 bills — which were identical, down to their serial numbers — and one $20 bill, then turned them into fair police.

“With this small of a denomination, no one’s going to pay attention. It passes right through,” said Billy Arnaut, the fair’s police chief. “I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if, come Tuesday morning, when vendors took money to the bank, they caught a few more.”

It’s not uncommon for police to find one or two counterfeit bills, or even ride tickets, each year at the Canfield Fair, but the quantity of fake, but “very good quality,” bills circulating around this year’s fair was unusual, said Arnaut.

Arnaut added that the same person or persons probably passed out the $10 bills, while the $20 bill originated elsewhere. But because none of the vendors could provide a description of a possible suspect, police couldn’t follow up on the incidents.

“There’s not even anything you can really do about it,” Arnaut said. “We wanted to grab the guys, but we weren’t lucky enough this year.” Fair police still have the counterfeit bills in their possession, he added.