'Unusual' Cases of Counterfeit Bills Reported; Shoplifters Arrested

reports from March 19-25 included 60 alarms, 23 crashes and 17 arrests. Among the highlights:

Counterfeit bills likely passed at Walgreens, Baskin-Robbins

It's not often that counterfeit bills are reported as being passed in town, Lt. Tim Diamond said, and downright unusual to see two incidents being reported in as many days.

According to Diamond, a black man about 5 feet 6 inches, 136 pounds, in his early 20s, wearing a red hat, a white T-shirt and blue jeans passed a counterfeit $100 bill at on Saturday. A man with a similar description may have passed a counterfeit $100 bill at , 7380 Orchard Lake Rd., that same night.

In the first reported incident, the man purchased ice cream and may have driven away in an older Buick model vehicle, Diamond said. The second incident was reported on Sunday morning as a manager counting cash from the night before inquired about a suspicious-looking bill to an employee working that night.

Both counterfeit bills were turned over to police.

"It's unusual to get two complaints on consecutive days in the same area," Diamond said, adding that such incidents are typically reported to the U.S. Secret Service.

Shoplifter arrested at Whole Foods

A 48-year-old woman from Bloomfield Hills with prior convictions for retail fraud was found shoplifting by a loss prevention officer at , 7350 Orchard Lake Rd., according to Diamond.

Diamond said that during the incident, reported around 4:07 p.m. Friday, the woman allegedly placed $59 worth of three skin care products in a child seat she placed in her shopping cart before transferring those items to a shopping bag in her cart. She attempted to leave the store without paying for them and was confronted by the officer in the parking lot before being placed under arrest, Diamond said.

The woman was released from custody and her case turned over to police detectives to acquire warrants.

Man attempts to steal pants at Kohl's

A 19-year-old man from West Bloomfield allegedly attempted to leave , 7200 Orchard Lake Rd., with a pair of new pants hidden under the pair of pants he wore to the store, according to Diamond.

During the incident reported around 5:45 p.m. Friday, the man was apprehended by a loss prevention officer at the door of the store after the shoplifting attempt took place in the changing room there. The man was arrested, issued a citation and released, Diamond said.

If you have any information about these incidents, you can call West Bloomfield Police at (248) 975-9200. For questions about this report, email tim.rath@patch.com.