Counterfeit 20s circulating through Havre

Havre Police Department has seen a rash of counterfeit and fraudulent $20 bills attempted to be used at a number of local businesses in the area in the past couple of weeks.

“Especially now, with the holiday season and then with Christmas cash and everything, people need to look at and take a few extra minutes and remind their employees to look over the bills that are being passed and make sure they are not fictitious and or fake,” Havre Police Chief Gabe Matosich said.

Two cases were reported in the past week.

A caller from a First Street business Thursday reported at 6:47 p.m. that a fake $20 was used. Matosich said the bill was used by a male who left the business and headed west.

Another was reported Friday at 10:34 a.m. when an employee at an 11th Street West business reported that at 1 p.m. the previous day a person tried to use a counterfeit $20 bill to buy fuel.

He added that officers are investigating the cases but at this time the department has no indication the two calls are related. 

“It seems like every now and then they pop up somewhere around town,” he said. “It’s not the first time.”

Two more reports are listed in Tuesdays dispatch log in For the Record, on A5 today.

He said people should remember to be careful when handling cash and check whether or not the bills being used are fake.

“Be careful take your time and overlook the bill,” he said.

Matosich added that investigations are usually more successful if people make reports immediately.

“If you do think it’s fake, give us a call right away,” he said.