Police have released vision of a man as part of investigations into counterfeit currency offences at two Logan District businesses in March, and the theft of $20,000.
On March 9, a man attended a Browns Plains kebab-store and offered to purchase the store from the owner.
During this conversation, the man claimed that he had a machine that could duplicate legitimate currency, creating cash that was not counterfeit.
Over coming days, the man and owner met and corresponded a number of times.
On March 25, the man attended the owner’s other business at Browns Plains, carrying a safe and black wooden box with a power cord.
The man then produced two bundles of what he claimed was $100,000 cash and put them inside the box.
He then asked the owner for $50,000 to add to the box for duplication, to which the owner refused.
The man became angry, transferred the two bundles from the box to safe, and said he would be in contact the following day before leaving.
When the owner could not get hold of the man the following day, he forced opened the safe, finding photocopies of cash.
No money was stolen during this incident.
Further, between March 11 and March 26, a man attended a Slacks Creek business and offered to purchase the store from the owner.
The man claimed to the owner that he could legitimately duplicate his money using a machine.
The owner withdrew $20,000 from his bank account and, on March 24, gave the cash to the man who ran the bundle through a large black box with a power cord, along with a bundle of what looked to be cash that he had provided.
The box made a humming noise as this occurred.
After the process finished, the man transferred the two bundles of money into a safe. The man kept the key and the business-owner kept the safe.
The man said he would return the following say (March 25) so that they could open the safe together.
The following day, the owner called the man who did not answer, so proceeded to force open the safe where he located two bundles of counterfeit notes.
Investigations indicate the man has approached at least ten different business in the Logan district citing the same story during the month of March and is travelling in a white Toyota Camry sedan.
Please see the below link to access vision of the man police wish to speak with in relation to these counterfeit currency offences and the theft of $20,000, and the vehicle he is travelling in:
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or call 131 444.
Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.
