By CHRISTINE BOATWRIGHT / Staff Writer

CALERA – Five counterfeit $10 and $20 bills were turned into the Calera Police Department from Dec. 22-26.

“There’s not a lot to go on at this point,” Police Chief Sean Lemley said. “We had some counterfeit bills turn up at a few of the convenience stores.”

The bills were used in five different locations, including the Family Dollar and gas stations on U.S. 31, according to police reports.

“Clerks at the stores used those marking pens to see if it’s a legitimate bill. Bills are coming back that are possibly counterfeit,” Detective Tommy Palmer said.

Palmer said the police typically send the bills into the U.S. Secret Service along with the police report and any evidence recovered, such as security footage from the store.

“It appears that the bills were not passed by the same individual. It’s possible they were handed out somewhere else and handed out as change,” Palmer said. “It happened in this immediate area, and we haven’t had any additional since then.”

If anyone has additional information about counterfeit bills in the Calera area, please contact the Calera Police Department at 668-3505.