Counterfeit $100s At Joliet Family Dollar Leads To Arrest: Cops

JOLIET, IL — A 34-year-old Chicago man is now in the Will County Jail after Joliet police say he tried to pass three counterfeit $100 bills to employees at the Family Dollar store at 1224 Richards St.

The incident that led to the arrest of Gerald Hicks on felony forgery charges happened around 2 p.m. Friday.

Officers were sent to the Family Dollar to investigate an incident involving a customer trying to use counterfeit cash, police reports show.

"Officers learned that Family Dollar staff was notified that Hicks had attempted to pass counterfeit currency at another Family Dollar store nearby, 454 East Cass Street," Joliet police reports state.

The staff at the Richards Street business was provided a description of Hicks and the staff recognized him when he showed up, police said.

"Officers determined that Hicks attempted to purchase a gift card with three counterfeit $100 bills," Joliet police announced. "Store employees determined that the money was counterfeit using a counterfeit pen and that the bills shared the same serial number on them. Officers placed Hicks into custody without incident."

Hicks was freed from the Will County Jail on Sunday after posting 10 percent of his $50,000 bail, jail records show.