Three people were arrested for passing counterfeit traveler’s
checks at local businesses, and police believe the culprits are
responsible for a similar crime that happened in November 2008.
Morgan Hill
Three people were arrested for passing counterfeit traveler’s checks at local businesses, and police believe the culprits are responsible for a similar crime that happened in November 2008.
Arrested Jan. 17 were Steven Fobbs, 23, of Oakland; Shanae Harvey, 25, of Newark; and Roderick Lane, 20, of Oakland. All are accused of attempting to buy merchandise with fake traveler’s checks at local businesses, according to Morgan Hill police Sgt. Jerry Newmayer. Fobbs and Harvey were charged with burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime, and Lane was charged with conspiracy to commit a crime.
Neumayer said about 3 p.m. Jan. 17 police responded to a call from the Bath and Body Works store at Cochrane Plaza, in which the clerk said someone had tried to buy a small amount of merchandise with what appeared to be a fake traveler’s check. While an officer was at that store taking statements, police received a call about a similar incident that just happened at Starbucks on Cochrane Road. The officer arrived at Starbucks before the suspects left, and determined that one of them matched the description of the person who tried to pass a fake traveler’s check at Bath and Body Works, Neumayer said.
During the investigation, officers found that one of the three suspects tried to commit the same crime at DSW Shoe, and one of them used a fake driver’s license in an attempt to pass the false currency.
Furthermore, police found that Fobbs had a $250,000 warrant out for his arrest for robbery and assault with a deadly weapon in San Diego; and Lane was on probation in Alameda County.
Detectives were able to connect the three with a similar crime that occurred at the same Starbucks store in November 2008, and were able to close that case, Neumayer said.
Passing fictitious currency is becoming more common in the area, according to Neumayer. He said lately people have been using the fake traveler’s checks or cash to purchase an inexpensive item in order to receive real cash as change.
