Community tips help Redmond Police catch suspect in passing of at least six counterfeit $100 bills at area businesses
(Update: Suspect arrested in bogus bill passing, but more may be in circulation, stores urged to be vigilant)
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Several tips from community members and further investigation has led to the arrest of a 32-year-old Redmond man accused of passing at least six counterfeit $100 bills at several businesses around the city, police said Thursday.
Sunday’s arrest of Andrew Zulim in Redmond came one month to the day after Redmond Police released a security photo and sought the public’s help in finding the passer of fake bills at several area businesses, Lt. Eric Beckwith said.
Zulim was arraigned Monday on six charges, including five Class C felonies, four first-degree forgery charges and possession of a forged instrument, and a second-degree theft charge, a Class A misdemeanor.
According to the initial charges, Zulim passed the $100 bills on Jan. 21 at Shari's Restaurant, on Jan. 28 at Billy's Lottery and Feb. 9 at a 76 gas station.
Zulim was granted conditional release and is due back in court on March 21 for arraignment on an expected indictment. The conditions include that he have no contact with those businesses.
While police have recovered six counterfeit $100s, Beckwith said more could still be in circulation.
"The Redmond Police Department encourages local business owners and operators to continue to be vigilant when inspecting currency, and immediately report incidents when fake money is detected," the sergeant said.
"The department would like to extend its appreciation to local media partners for broadcasting the request for assistance and to the community members for responding," he added.
In last month's news release, Beckwith said that “in some cases, the bills were able to pass initial detection practices during cash transactions, and several times, the suspect requested smaller bills or change for the $100 bill.”
Beckwith said police also received reports from a local bank that identified five counterfeit $100 bills in just two days.
At the time, he told NewsChannel 21 that police weren't releasing the locations, "as we have some belief they may come back, and we want to catch them if they do" -- with the public's help.
Redmond Police also encouraged businesses to visit www.secretservice.gov and check the “Know Your Money” fact sheets (embedded below) for helpful ways to identify currency.
If you identify a counterfeit bill, you’re asked to immediately call police through Deschutes County dispatch at 541-693-6911 and “attempt to identify any vehicles associated, as well as a description of the person trying to pass the bill,” Beckwith said.
