FUNNY MONEY

November 6, 2009

Fake $20 bills change course for diners

Patti Dozier The Times Enterprise Fri Nov 06, 2009, 09:54 PM EST

THOMASVILLE — Things were going seemingly well for a couple of Tallahassee, Fla., men dining in Thomasville Thursday night.

Things were going so smooth, in fact, that the men ordered food at three restaurants — before being intercepted by a Thomas County Sheriff’s Office deputy at the fourth eatery.

The men were purchasing food with $20 counterfeit bills and receiving legitimate money in change.

Carlos Thompson, 21, of 6720 Meridian Road, and Ronkel Corley, 20, of 630 Steel Road, went through the drive-through at Popeye’s, 2525 E. Pine Tree Blvd. Each man placed an order, paid with a $20 counterfeit bill and received change.

A Popeye’s employee realized the 20s were fake and notified police. A citywide alert was issued for a small dark red or burgundy car.

Lt. Eric Hampton, Thomasville Police Department public information officer, said employees at another restaurant became suspicious when each man paid with a $20 bill, received change and drove away before receiving food orders.

Thompson and Corley also passed through drive-throughs at Taco Bell and Burger King.

At Church’s on East Jackson Street, the suspects had presented 20s and were waiting for change when the deputy spotted the burgundy Saturn in which they were traveling.

“Seven more 20s — with the same serial numbers — were seized from Thompson,” Hampton said.

Each man is charged with five counts of forgery. Corley was released from the Thomas County Jail on a $14,000 bond. Thompson remains in jail in lieu of a $16,000 bond.

A lot of food was purchased during the episode, which began at 7:30 p.m. and ended 2 1/2 hours later, but police found none of it in the Saturn.