Counterfeit Concerns At City Supermarket

By Susan Bush
12:00AM / Friday, March 24, 2006

North Adams - Concerns that phony $100 bills might circulate through the Northern Berkshires prompted local Stop & Shop supermarket officials to refuse the bills for a brief time.

Signs announcing that $100 bills would not be accepted at the State Road store because of counterfeit currency concerns were posted at the store entrances during the March 24 morning and early afternoon.

Company media representative Robert Keene said during a mid-afternoon March 24 telephone interview that the store had resumed acceptance of $100 bills. Store officials were told by drivers of the Loomis Fargo armored car service that bogus $100 bills had been discovered in the Berkshires, and that information caused store officials to act, Keene said.The store did not receive counterfeit money.

Counterfeit $100 bills were discovered earlier this month by several store clerks who work at shops contained within the Prime Outlets shopping venue in Lee. The discovery occurred on March 11 and involved a total of 14 fraudulent bills, according to published newspaper reports. Members of the Lee police department and agents with the U.S. Treasury are investigating the matter.

When contacted on March 24, city police Director Michael Cozzaglio and Massachusetts State Police Officer Travis McCarthy, of the Cheshire barracks, said that as of noon on March 24, they have had no recent or new reports of counterfeit money passing through the Northern Berkshires.