The manager of a River Road GNC called police Wednesday after the men used three bogus $100 bills to pay for low-priced items, receiving genuine cash as change, before fleeing in a white Mercedes Benz E350 Police Chief Donald Martin said.
The car pulled into the parking lot of The Square shopping center when Officer Tyler Iafelice spotted it, Martin said.
A search turned up $600 in bogus $100 bills and the same amount in real money, he said.
Charged with forgery, money laundering and theft by deception following an investigation by Detective Dale Price are Yaurel Centeno, 19, and Chris Rosario, 20, both unemployed, the chief said.
Both were released pending June 3 first appearances in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.
Centeno also received summonses for driving without a license, making an improper U-turn and having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle.
“It is believed that these two had used other counterfeit currency at other stores and locations yesterday,” Martin said Thursday. “If there is any agency or store that recognizes them and needs any additional information, please contact the Edgewater Police Detective Bureau at 201-943-2200.”
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