Cops: Philly Counterfeiter Tries to Pass Funny Money, Flees on Foot

A Pennsylvania man was arrested last month after allegedly attempting to pass a phony $100 at a local pet store, according to police.

Dominik A. Smith-Robinson, 20, of Gratz Street in Philadelphia, PA, was arrested at 6:29 p.m. on Aug. 8, 2015, and charged with felony forgery, attempt to commit, resisting arrest or detention, reckless conduct; place another in danger, and disorderly conduct.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Concord Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. Click this link to find out how to get a name removed from a New Hampshire Patch police report.

Officers were sent to the Petco on Fort Eddy Road for a report of a man attempting to purchase a counterfeit bill, according to a court affidavit.

The store manager alleged that a man in his early 20s with dark skin wearing a black shirt and Capri pants attempted to make a purchase with a $100 bill that “definitely didn’t feel right.” They also used a fraud detector program, which didn’t verify the bill as authentic. When the clerk wouldn’t accept the bill, the man took the money back and left.

The store employee called police and watched the man cross the street to BAM!

Police searched the area and a sergeant found a man matching the description in Lowes parking lot walking toward Market Basket while speaking on a cellphone. Upon seeing the sergeant, the man began running west across Fort Eddy Road toward Hannaford, according to the report.

Other officers converged on the scene with the reporting officer finding the man running between Hannaford and Panera.

“I exited my vehicle and yelled, ‘Stop, Police!,’ at the male,” the reporting officer stated. “He fled WB and jumped the fence separating the parking lot and I-93. I continued to give the male, Dominik Smith-Robinson, verbal commands. He continued to run, crossing I-93 NB and SB causing numerous vehicles to stop suddenly and swerve to avoid hitting him. The male then ran NB on the SB grass just off the shoulder. I continued to give him verbal commands and told him he would be Tased.”

Smith-Robinson allegedly continued to run but the officer brought him down to the ground not long after. He allegedly continued to struggle and refused to allow himself to be cuffed so he was Tased in the neck.

During an inventory, police allegedly found $1,061 in cash.

“It was clear that several of the bills were not genuine based upon the fact that they had smudges, fingerprints in the ink, and duplicate serial numbers,” the officer alleged.

Smith-Robinson refused bail and was held.

• Sign up for news alerts from local New Hampshire Patch sites.