Arnold Police are looking for three men suspected of using counterfeit money to buy merchandise at two stores in the city – the Walmart Supercentre, 2201 Michigan Ave., and the U-Gas convenience store, 3611 West Outer Road, the report said.
The men also are wanted in connection with passing counterfeit money at other stores around Jefferson County and the St. Louis area, Detective Lt. James Jones said.
Between 7:19 p.m. and 7:34 p.m. Nov. 21, the three men allegedly used counterfeit $20 bills to make five purchases at the Arnold Walmart, buying baby food and hygiene products totaling $420, the report said.
Police believe the three men are black and left the store in a gray or silver Mitsubishi SUV.
At 7:41 p.m. Nov. 26, Arnold Police got a report that the same three men showed up at the U-Gas store and allegedly used a counterfeit $20 to buy gas before leaving in a gray Mitsubishi Outlander. That $20 was seized as evidence, the report said.
In addition, Arnold Police got a call at 9 p.m. Nov. 25 that a counterfeit $100 bill was found in a trash can at the Circle K station, 504 Jeffco Blvd., according to the report.
Two days later, at 6:58 a.m. Nov. 27, Arnold Police got a call that a bank returned two counterfeit $20 bills that Dollar General, 505 Jeffco Blvd., had received and deposited at the bank. The Dollar General manager was not able to say when the counterfeit bills were used at the store, the report said.
Jones said he believes the Walmart and U-Gas cases are connected, but he’s not sure whether the other two incidents are.
Arnold Police have notified the U.S. Secret Service about the cases, according to the report
As of Tuesday (Nov. 29), no suspects had been identified and no arrests had been made, Jones said. Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to call Arnold Police at 636-296-3204.