Teen Targets Retail Establishments, Passes Fake Money

A fourteen year old was busted after passing counterfeit currency at a number of Kingston Avenue stores. Shomrim successfully alerted the police who took the kids into custody. Later they discovered that he targeted over a dozen area stores.

by CrownHeights.info

Shomrim received a call on Monday evening from “Everything but the Baby”, a retail store on Kingston Avenue, alerting them that a young teen just managed to pass a fake $50 and $20 bill while making a small purchase and took change for his purchase.

A large number of Shomrim volunteers began a search for the teen, while one stayed at the store to help them with filing a police report.

While waiting, the teen returned to store to attempt a second purchase.

The Shomrim volunteer alerted the others that he returned and another call was place to the police, who arrived promptly and took the teen into custody.

During questioning police discovered that he was in fact just 14-years-old, and claimed to have been duped himself by a man who asked him to make the purchases for him.

While under police questioning Shomrim discovered that he unsuccessfully attempted to make purchases at two other Kingston Avenue stores. Review of surveillance video further revealed that he was working alone, as he was not seen on video with any other accomplices.

“Please don’t arrest me, I’m young and I don’t want a record” were the first words the teen said to police. “Why do you think we will arrest you? If you have nothing to be afraid of if your clean” officers responded.

The teen then laid out a story about a man who took his phone and gave him the fake bills and he was to call him after he got change for small purchases. But after further scrutinizing his story it quickly became apparent that he was the only one involved and that he was quite cunning.

Police found additional bills on him as well as a full-face covering ski mask in his backpack.

At the precinct the teen was interviewed by detectives and was later released into the custody of his father.

Sources in the precinct said that detectives were not willing to peruse an arrest due to his age, along with past efforts being shut down by the districts attorney’s offices’ unwillingness to peruse cases against teens. “Though we feel that this encounter should serve as a warning for the future” the source said.

Following the incident Shomrim put out a warning to stores alerting them to be vigilant against attempts to pass fake currency. Following the warning a number of stores from Flatbush Avenue in Prospect  Lefferts Gardens and on nearby Empire Boulevard have shared photos of what appears to be the same teen passing face currency there as well.

17 Comments

  • How pathetic

    “Please don’t arrest me, I’m young and I don’t want a record” were the first words the teen said to police. “Why do you think we will arrest you? If you have nothing to be afraid of if your (sic) clean” officers responded.

    Actually, you have nothing to be afraid of at all. This is New York! We don’t arrest Young Thug’s. We send them home to Mommy and Daddy so they can continue in their errant ways.

    Did you notice he had a full face ski mask? And there were attempted muggings perpetrated by young black males with full face ski masks? You think maybe it’s the same creep?

    We really need to reinstitute reform boarding schools for young criminals, where they will learn basic civility instead of stupid civil rights.

  • re33

    boarding and reform schools sound great to me, if they are funded by “clean” money and are done right.
    the kids need a solid background to prepare for life.

  • Treat All Criminals the Same

    Soon he too will be telling people not to daven from smartphones. Will he get a following, and a news item every time he makes an announcement?

    • To 3 "Treat all..."

      We understand who your veiled reference is targeted at and you’re a despicable human being for making a comparison like that.

    • Ooof

      Be careful who you call a criminal. One day you may slip up on something and then locked up on trumped up charges.

    • to 3 and 13

      I will pray from my smartphone that both of you #3 and 13) get locked-up for a long time on fake charges. Then we’ll see how to treat you the same.

  • Opinion

    “past efforts being shut down by the districts attorney’s offices’ unwillingness to peruse cases against teens” Free pass to crime! The district attorney’s offices should be shut down They aren’t doing their job.

  • Opinion

     “a warning for the future”? Warning that fourteen year olds can do crime and not be punished

  • a thought

    I don’t understand. Counterfeiting is a Federal offence persecuted by the Secret Service. How did the local police have the jurisdiction to make such a decision.

    • Call the Feds

      The store owners should call the FBI. The store owners could end up giving one of these bills to a customer, and they could, G-d forbid, be charged.

  • Concerned resident

    Is this the same guy who was wearing a mask when he mug people in CH in past weeks.
    Did the police question him about that??!!

  • C.C.O.C.H.

    THESE KIDS DID NOT FIND THE COUNTERFEIT MONEY LAYING IN THE STREET. IT IS PATHETIC THAT THEY WERE LET FREE BEFORE REVEALING THE SOURCE. COUNTERFEIT MONEY FALLS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE SECRET SERVICE AND THEY BARE THE ONES THAT SHOULD BE FOLLOWING UP ON THIS. MAYBE THIS WILL OFFER OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS THE CHANCE TO HAVE A PHOTO-OP WITH SOME MORE OFFICIALS THAT WILL NOT HAVE ANY ENSUING RESULTS.

  • woow!

    they steal, rob ,rape, and even murder because they know they will be let go! we need Guiliani back!!