Brigham City PD warns businesses of fake cash
Jun 7, 2018, 10:50 PM | Updated: Jun 8, 2018, 1:28 am
BRIGHAM CITY, Utah – Taking a step inside the Kent’s Market grocery store in Brigham City is like going back in time.
Kent’s Market
It’s not so much with the appearance of the place; it looks modern. It’s more about the feeling you get as you walk around. Employees are smiling, asking how your day is going, and wondering if you need help with something
“Yes, we like to think we are family,” said Lance Siddoway, the manager of the Brigham City store.
Siddoway has worked at Kent’s for 40 years and says that mom and pop atmosphere is what kept him.
Kent’s Market manager Lance Siddoway
“We started at a very, very little store and we have grown to where we are right now,” said Siddoway. “It is a special place because it’s locally owned.”
For as much as he loves his job, though, there are times he sure misses the old days.
“You know, years ago we used to trust everybody, and we still want to trust everybody, but unfortunately…” he said as his voice trailed off.
Brigham City
It’s tough talking about criminals.
“We have a very thin bottom line, and whenever we take a counterfeit money, we have to eat it and take the loss, so yes, it does hurt us,” said Siddoway.
Recently, counterfeit cash in $10, $20, $50, and $100 bills have been circulating through northern Utah and Brigham City.
Brigham City Police Lt. James Crapse
It was enough for the Brigham City Police Department to warn stores about what they’ve been noticing.
“Our local businesses are being hurt by it,” said Lt. James Crapse with the Brigham City Police Department. “It hurts quite a bit. Especially the mom and pop stores, they’re struggling. Every bit counts.”
Brigham City has a few big box stories, but it’s mostly a community full of mom and pop shops. For them, fake money is a real loss.
“When they get a fake $20 or $50 or a $100, that’s profit out of their pocket,” said Lt. Crapse.
Front of fake $100 (Source: Brigham City Police Dept.)
Police are asking store owners to make sure their cashiers look carefully for fakes.
Most of the time, someone up to no good will hide a fake with real bills.
“Normally, when you’re counting it, what a bad guy will try to do is they’ll hide it amongst the bills. So, you’ll be counting and won’t really be looking at all of the bills. You’ll be counting and you’ll just see the corners of them,” said Lt. Crapse.
That warning is why Siddoway has told his cashiers to be extra careful when taking cash from customers.
“Yes, it takes more time to train our cashiers what to look for, but we have to do it,” said Siddoway. “They pay attention and they do a good job.”
Back of fake $100 (Source: Brigham City Police Dept.)
Counterfeiting has always been around, but today’s technology to make fake bills is as good as ever.
It’s tough finding the person making the bills.
According to Lt. Crapse, one bill can have hundreds of fingerprints, and with as frequently as cash travels, it might not even be from Utah.
“We try to dust it for prints, but with as many times as the money is exchanged, you know, it rolls through everybody,” he said. “We alert the feds and turn the money over to them.”
Siddoway say he still believes most people are good and try to be honest in their everyday lives.
“Just a few people make it bad for the rest of the people,” said Siddoway.
