Police Reports: Counterfeit Bills Passed at Voro

Police reports for last week include a stolen car, alleged counterfeit money and a broken flowerpot:

Sunday, March 8:

• A blue 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee parked in the South Orange Middle School lot was stolen, and recovered by Irvington police the following day. They notified the owner that the vehicle had been impounded after being involved in an accident and abandoned.

Tuesday, March 10:

• A black 2001 Audi S8 parked in the NJ Transit lot was broken into between 7:30 a.m. and 8:40 p.m. The driver's side door lock and the ignition had been tampered with.

Wednesday, March 11:

• A flower pot was broken on the front steps of a Gardner Avenue residence some time during the day.

Sunday, March 15:

• Grover Drakeford, 22, was charged with forgery and theft by deception after a manager at Voro called to report that he had paid for bottles of Moet and other alcoholic drinks with counterfeit $20 bills. All told, he had spent $340. When Drakeford exited the restaurant premises early Sunday morning, an officer told him he had been seen using counterfeit bills and asked if he had money on him. Drakeford produced $140—seven $20 bills—and the officer observed that they didn't have a watermark. Drakeford claimed that he came by the bills by selling an iPod for $400 and changed the number to $500 when the officer pointed out that he had started the night with $480 of counterfeit money. He was placed under arrest and taken to headquarters.
• Officers responded to an activated alarm at Natural Cleaners at around 10 p.m. and observed that the rear door facing the parking lot was open. The owner later determined that $150 had been taken from the register.