N.Y. Men Tried To Use Fake $100 Bills To Buy Gift Cards In Brick: Police

BRICK. NJ -- Two Brooklyn men are accused of trying to buy gift cards from ShopRite using counterfeit $100 bills after their departure from the store drew the attention of police and led to their arrest, Brick police said Wednesday evening.

Bryan Hyman, 26, and Alfonzo Forney, 37, are being held at the Ocean County Jail, Toms River, in lieu of $30,000 bail each with no 10 percent option for either one, Brick Sgt. Neal Pedersen said.

Pedersen said officers from the Brick Township Selective Enforcement Team were at the Kohl's Plaza about 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday when they saw two black men run out of the ShopRite.

The two men saw patrol units that had responded to an unrelated call at Payless Shoes, so they jumped into a black Honda and sped off through the parking lot at a high rate of speed, Pedersen said, driving through the McDonald's parking lot and getting onto Chambers Bridge Road through the entrance only driveway.

Sgt. Paul Catalina was able to pull the car over in Brick Plaza, and the driver identified himself as Michael Crowder, Pedersen said, and the passenger identified himself as Hyman.

Sgt. Erik Olsen, meanwhile, went to ShopRite where he was told the men tried to buy gift cards at two separate registers but they were both denied due to the discovery that the $100 bills they were attempting to use were fraudulent, he said.

While Officers Ryan Talty and Dominick Puccio were speaking to the men, they learned Crowder had given them a false name and his name was actually Forney, and he had an active NCIC Warrant from Maryland for possessing forged currency, Pedersen said.

Forney is charged with forgery and hindering apprehension plus motor vehicle violations for reckless driving, careless driving, driving while suspended, failure toyYield the right of way and failure to stop or yield.

Hyman is charged with forgery.

The two were found to be in possession of $1,400 in counterfeit bills and several gift cards that were believed to have been purchased with counterfeit currency, Pedersen said.