SPRING HILL, Tenn. (WKRN) — Spring Hill police are asking for the public’s help in a number of fraud cases perpetrated at local big box stores.
According to the Spring Hill Police Department (SHPD), officers have been dealing with theft and fraud at department stores. Some of these crimes involve groups of counterfeiters and others involve something known as a quick change scam.
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“These people go into the stores, hand over cash, and ask for different denominations as they go along and it just confuses the cashier,” said SHPD Lt. Justin Whitwell. “They are able to come out with more money than they came in with.”
According to police, that’s what one suspect did recently at the Spring Hill Walmart.
A woman with a male juvenile by her side—a child that loss prevention believes to be her little boy, according to the report—buys rings, a watch, and children’s shoes.
Police said she confused the clerk by handing over a large amount of money which she then proceeds to take back while asking for different denominations in change.
In the end, police said the clerk is ultimately confused and the thief leaves with the merchandise
and in this case, more than $1,000 in cash that the clerk had mistakenly taken out of the till.
According to investigators, around the same time frame, police also were looking into three counterfeiting cases.
Investigators told News 2, one of the suspects, a woman in a pink hat, bought two inexpensive items, including a lighter. She handed the clerk a fake $50 bill. The clerk gave her back $42 in change and the suspected counterfeiter walked out with $42 change.
In all these cases, police said the suspects need to confuse the people they give the money to in order to get out of the store with stolen merchandise and cash.
Police warn all clerks to be alert and on guard for a fake bill or the quick change scam.
According to online reports; quick change scammers frequently target young/inexperienced cashiers who may be stressed by a lot of people waiting in line. The scammers frequently buy something inexpensive and try and pay with a large bill. Before the transaction concludes, the scammer engages the cashier in lots of conversation that usually involves multiple cash exchanges, frequently telling the befuddled clerk how much change is owed. The con artist almost always dictates what type of denominations the change should be while the cash drawer is still open.
If you recognize anyone in the story, you are urged to contact the SHPD at 931-486-2632.
