Man Tried To Buy Apple Crisp At Arby's Using Counterfeit Bill: Police

Caption: Reginald Jones, 21, of Bellwood, is being held on $2,000 bond at DuPage County Jail. | DuPage County Sheriff

Two Belwood men were charged with passing counterfeit bills after one of them tried buying an apple crisp at Arby’s using a fake twenty-dollar bill, police said.

An employee told police that the men, later identified as Reginald Jones, 21, and LeRoy L. Jefferson, 20, both came into the restaurant around 10:28 a.m. Sept. 5.

Police said that Jones ordered an apple crisp and attempted to pay for it with the fraudulent bill. During the transaction, Jefferson leaned in and asked for change for another fraudulent twenty, reports said.

The employee checked both bills with a marker that indicated that the money was fake, police said. The two men left and the employee was able to get the plate number of the men’s Chevy Tahoe.

While en route, an officer recognized the vehicle and two men who matched the employee’s description of them.

When the officer stopped the Tahoe and said he was investigating counterfeit money at Arby’s, Jones appeared nervous, reports said.

Both men were asked to keep their hands in sight, police said. When another officer arrived, both men were asked to step out of the car.

Police said they found another counterfeit twenty hidden in an empty Mountain Dew bottle. The other officer went back to Arby’s to retrieve the other fraudulent bills, after which both men were taken into custody, reports said.

During the search of the Tahoe, police said that officers also turned up a loaded 9mm Ruger from the Tahoe’s center console.

According to the report, the serial number was rubbed off. The gun was sent to the Illinois Crime Lab.

At the station, a U.S. Secret Service agent confirmed that the three bills retrieved from the men were counterfeit, police said.

Jones and Jefferson were both charged with felony forgery and are being held in the DuPage County Jail.