The Secret Service has been called upon twice by campus police after counterfeit bills were confiscated from customers at the Moorpark campus bookstore and the Ventura campus Satellite Café, on March 23.

Although it is an interesting coincidence that both incidents happened on the same day last March, the two incidents do not appear to be related, said VCCCD Chief of Police James Botting. The counterfeit bills were both sent to the Secret Service, who immediately recognized the $5 bill that turned up at Moorpark to be identical to replicas which had been detected in Sacramento, Colorado, and Arizona.

“They can really do quite a bit with it based on finding where it came from,” said Botting about the Secret Service. “It’s really quite amazing how often they can just look at a bill and recognize it.”

Botting said that although any report of forged currency in this area is unusual, the campus police were especially surprised by the fake $5 bill. $20 bills are the most commonly reproduced, said Botting, because anything larger than a $20 will attract too much attention, and anything less isn’t usually worth the trouble of making it.

The person who attempted to use the $5 bill at the MC bookstore has not been identified, but witnesses reported to campus police that he was a male, and appeared to be Asian, in his mid-twenties, and had dark hair. When the cashier questioned the customer about the suspicious-looking bill, the unknown man offered a different bill to make his purchase and left the fake bill with the bookstore employee.

The second incident occurred on March 23 at Ventura College’s Satellite Café. Café employees suspected that a customer’s $20 bill was a fake and contacted campus police. One or more witnesses recognized the suspect, and the investigation of his identity is ongoing.

These incidents are unusual but not unheard of in the college district, Botting explained. There have been additional reports in the past concerning counterfeit money that turned up at the swap-meet at Ventura College.

If you have any information or concerns regarding counterfeit bill circulation on campus, visit campus police station located on all three campuses, at (805) 384-8364 or email at [email protected]

Oxnard College:

March 16: A student reported that he was punched in the arm by another student on a city bus. The victim did not ask the police to take action unless the incident reoccurs.

March 21: Another student reports a purse stolen from a classroom soon after it was accidentally left behind after a class. The purse has been left in PE-4, and police have no suspects.

March 23: A trash-can fire in the men’s restroom of the library was extinguished by police and library employees, and due to the smoke, the library was completely evacuated until secured by campus police.

March 25: A minor accident occurred near the campus library, when a vehicle was accidentally backed into a light pole. Police took report of the minor damage caused by the accident.

Ventura College:

March 23: The satellite café reported that its employees had unknowingly accepted a counterfeit $20 bill, but the customer who used it at the campus café is unknown.

March 24: Campus Police took report of graffiti that was discovered on the third floor of the science building.

March 24: Campus Police responded to a report of possible drug activity in the E-lot, and found one of several males gathered to be in possession of marijuana, and also in possession of items used to package and distribute the drug. Because the male was a minor, he was arrested and transported to juvenilenhall, and the case referred to the Juvenile Courts.

March 25: Campus police took report on graffiti found in the men’s restroom of the K-building on campus.

March 27: A wallet was stolen from a student’s unattended backpack in F-101.

March 28: A minor hit-and-run in the E-lot occurred, and the victim provided police with the suspect’s license plate number. The victim does not wish to prosecute.

March 30: A vehicle on the E-lot was broken into by unknown means. The suspect removed and stole the stereo, amplifier, and sub-woofers.

Moorpark College:

March 23: A male subject attempted to use a counterfeit $5 bill at the bookstore on campus. When the police were called to investigate the situation, the subject had already left. Witnesses described him as mid-twenties, Asian, with dark hair.