Shawn Beeks, of Carteret, passed a counterfeit $100 bill at a business located in the 500 block of New York Avenue, Lyndhurst Police Detective Lt. Vincent Auteri said.
On Oct. 17, Beeks bought $13.29 worth of assorted items using the counterfeit bill. On Oct. 19, Beeks bought $9.37 worth of assorted items using the counterfeit bill. On Oct. 27, Beeks bought $19.54 worth of assorted items using the counterfeit bill.
The business did not immediately recognize that the bills were counterfeit. The incident was ultimately reported to the LPD Criminal Investigations Division. Detective Michael Giangeruso identified Beeks as a suspect. Turns out he had outstanding warrants out of Newark and East Orange for similar crimes, Auteri said.
On Thursday, Oct. 31, Beeks returned a fourth time to the same business and was immediately identified by store loss prevention officers based on Giangeruso’s information.
The Lyndhurst Police Department was immediately contacted. The responding officers found Beeks inside of the store and arrested him.
Beeks was found in possession of a counterfeit $100 bill and a counterfeit $20 bill, in addition to a small amount of heroin, Auteri said.
Beeks was transported to the Lyndhurst Police Department where he was charged with three counts of forgery, three counts of theft by unlawful taking, and possession of heroin before being remanded to the Bergen County Jail. Additional charges are pending.
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