Dickson City police charge two New Yorkers with passing counterfeit $100 bill at pet store
Apr. 6—A pair from Brooklyn, New York, paid a local store with a counterfeit $100 bill this week to recoup real money as change, Dickson City police said.
On Thursday, borough officers worked to piece together the movements, and purchases, of Shelcea Sobers and Koro Prince.
Borough Officer Zakery Sawyer began investigating Tuesday following a complaint made by Pet Supplies "Plus" on Commerce Boulevard that someone passed off counterfeit money. A fake $100 bill was used to purchase a roughly $12 tube of cat toothpaste. The store gave $87.30 in change.
About 10 minutes later, Sawyer pulled over a black Hyundai Elantra whose occupants matched the description the pet store supplied of the counterfeiters.
During his investigation, Sawyer found a large bundle of bills, a few grams of marijuana, receipts indicating they shopped at the pet store and dog leashes.
Sobers, 27, and Prince, 30, are jailed in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $10,000 and $25,000 bail, respectively. They have preliminary hearings scheduled April 18.
Sobers, of 824 Troy Ave., and Prince, of 857 Troy Ave., are each charged with forgery, conspiracy, theft and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Police believe the pair also passed off counterfeit money at a pet store in Wilkes-Barre Twp. to buy leashes and a harness, which they attempted to return at the Dickson City location.
Police Chief William Bilinski asks that anyone who may have information on them contact either Sawyer at 570-489-3231 ext. 2030 or their local police department.
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