Police arrest man with counterfeit bills

YOUNGSTOWN

Police say a man arrested after trying to use a counterfeit $100 bill at a West Side thrift store Monday had several other bills on him that appeared to be counterfeit.

Anthony West Sr., 29, was arrested about 3:35 p.m. after he tried to use the bill at a 2420 Mahoning Ave. thrift store, according to reports.

Reports said city police were called after an employee of the thrift store gave the bill to a trooper of the Ohio State Highway Patrol because she thought it was counterfeit. West walked out of the store to a post office next door. There was a man in a car who was with West who drove away when he saw the trooper, reports said.

When city police arrived they found the trooper had detained West and he had several $50 and $100 bills that appeared to be counterfeit, reports said. Reports said the bills lacked a watermark, were the wrong color and several had repeating serial numbers.

Police said they got $3,600 from West’s coat and another $709 in his wallet. The bills were taken for evidence.

West was arrested on the charge of criminal simulation and booked into the Mahoning County jail, reports said.

Reports also said Secret Service agents were also contacted to do an investigation.