Photo Credit: Livermore Police Department
(LIVERMORE, CA) — The City of Livermore released an official statement on September 9 with information about a crime that took place earlier this month.
On September 4, around 12:30 p.m., security staff at the San Francisco Premium Outlets in Livermore reported to law enforcement that they had observed two individuals attempting to use counterfeit money at multiple retail locations and stores. To avoid risking losing track of the suspects, mall security followed the two men as they walked away from the retail center to a nearby hotel.
When law enforcement from the Livermore Police Department arrived, they detained the two initial suspects and determined that both individuals were on Post-Release Community Supervision. They also had active outstanding warrants.
These initial counterfeit findings triggered a large investigation of the suspects. The investigation originally seemingly comprised of small-scale, individual actors but eventually “led officers to five additional suspects” according to Livermore Police Department Instagram post. Upon search of their hotel room, officers found deliberate setup including specialized printing equipment, raw paper materials, and already forged currency. Investigators also discovered a quantity of methamphetamine, a manmade stimulant drug, packed in a manner indicating it was to be sold.
Photo Credit: Livermore Police Department
This investigation also revealed that the suspects were likely printing counterfeit cash in the hotel room with the intent of a large-scale shopping spree across the outlet mall over Labor Day weekend.
A total of seven individuals, originating from various regional cities such as Vallejo, San Francisco, Richmond, Fairfield, and Vacaville, were subsequently arrested in connection to the counterfeit operation. Authorities placed the suspects into the Santa Rita Jail on various felony charges, most notably including possession of counterfeiting equipment, criminal conspiracy, possession of narcotics for sale, and probation violations.
In their September 9 post, police officials commended the quick action of the shopping center’s security staff, noting that "This operation highlights the strong partnership between our business community and law enforcement. Thanks to the quick action of outlet security and the thorough investigation by our officers, a significant counterfeit operation was dismantled before further harm could be done to local retailers."
To add to or correct any information in this report, please contact me at alizeh.i@lead4earth.org or leave a comment below with your thoughts.
0
0
Comments