Duo Uses $5K In Counterfeit Cash To Steal Boat Engines: Cops

HAMPTON BAYS, NY — A Shirley pair was arrested after they used $5,000 in counterfeit cash to buy boat engines in Hampton Bays, police said.

According to Southampton Town Police, on Saturday, police arrested Jan-Carel A. Van-Heyningen, 24, and Claudia V. Strzesak, 18, after authorities were alerted to an incident at a Hampton Bays marina during which Van-Heyningen and Strzesak used counterfeit $100 bills, with a total face value of $5,000, to purchase two used 200HP Yamaha boat engines.

The seller did not realize the bills were counterfeit until the pair had left the area with the boat engines, police said.

Officers from the patrol division responded to the scene and conducted a preliminary investigation, then contacted the detective division being for further investigation, police said.

The investigation led detectives to a Shirley neighborhood where Van-Heyningen and Strzesak were located along with the stolen boat engines, police said.

The detective division, with the help of the Southampton Town community response unit, took the pair into custody and recovered the proceeds, police said.

Both Van-Heyningen and Strzesak were charged with one count of third degree grand larceny, a felony, and one count of second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, felony, police said.

They were held overnight at Southampton Town Police headquarters for arraignment at Southampton Town Justice Court, police said.