July 5, 2007
Local shop may have been victim of money-exchange scam
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University police are investigating the possible theft Wednesday (July 4) of $239 from a shop in the Purdue West Shopping Plaza.Police have interviewed two employees who were working at the Subway sandwich shop, 1400 W. State St., during the afternoon, and the theft could have been the result of a swindler technique called money passing, said Lt. Fred Davis.
The employees told police that two males entered the store, and as one of the employees served another customer, the men approached the counter and one of them bought three cookies. The employee who served him said he paid with a $50 bill, then asked what he had given her. She told him, and he asked if he could pay in smaller bills. He then asked if he could change the $50 bill and engaged in loud conversation, using such terms as "baby" in reference to her, and she became flustered, she said.
After the two men left, the employee who served them told the other worker that she felt uneasy about the transaction. She checked the cash drawer but didn't find that it was short. The discrepancy wasn't discovered until later.
A surveillance video shows two black men entering the store at 3:45 p.m., and it shows one of them appearing to have a conversation with the employee, possibly in an attempt to distract her while she was counting money, Davis said.
One man is described as about 6 feet, 3 inches tall and 280-300 pounds, in his 30s, with a gap in his teeth or chipped teeth and wearing a red San Antonio Spurs shirt or jersey. The other is described as 5 feet, 10 inches tall, 230 pounds and wearing a rust-colored polo shirt. He reportedly had salt-and-pepper-colored hair and is in his mid- to late-40s.
"This is an old quick change artist's trick," Davis said. "Always be wary when someone comes in with large bills and starts wanting to exchange. It's not uncommon to use large bills, but when someone starts a back-and-forth over exchanging bills, that's when it might be time to get the manager to help out."
Writer: Jim Bush (765) 494-2077, jsbush@purdue.edu
Source: Lt. Fred Davis, (765) 494-8221
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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