Police Reports: A Bogus Bill, Washed Checks and Attempted Burglary

The following arrest information was supplied by the Monroe Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction.

Attempted Burglary at Roberto's

Police responded to an alarm at Roberto's Restaurant, 505 Main St., at 6:40 Saturday morning and found that a rear window had been broken.

The burglar(s) had entered the building, but nothing appeared to have been taken, according to the report.

Capt. Michael Flick said whoever broke in was possibly scared off by the alarm.

A Bogus $20 Bill

A manager at the Dunkin Donuts at 695 Main Street was preparing to make a deposit of Friday night's sales on Saturday, when she noticed a $20 bill that was darker than the rest and felt differently, according to police. Using a marker, she found the bill was a fake.

Bank of America later confirmed that the bill was a counterfeit and gave the manager a form to fill out, police said.

The Dunkin Donuts manager spoke to the cashier on duty the previous night, who told her a man, age 55 to 60, passed the bogus bill. Police are using surveillance video in an attempt to identify the customer.

Washed Checks

A Benedict Road man was arrested for trying to use a check that had already been cashed in 1994 to buy two packs of gum and magazines at Stop & Shop, 470 Monroe Turnpike, at 7:40 Saturday night.

Police said William D. Varese, 32, wanted to get $100 in cash back, but that the cashier noticed the check appeared old and faded and had a black stamp on the back, showing a bank cashed it 17 years ago.

Police said there were erasure marks on the check, adding when information from a used check is cleaned for re-use, it is called a washed check. Varese allegedly had three more washed checks on him.

Varese was charged with criminal attempt at sixth-degree larceny and held on $500 bond for an Aug. 23 court date.

Narcotics Arrest

A 16-year-old Monroe juvenile was arrested on drug charges Friday after the investigation of a damaged mailbox led to his Toyota.

At 9:13 p.m.a Bug Hill Road resident complained about a damaged mailbox. The officer found pieces of a broken taillight, which belonged to a Toyota at the scene.

Another officer on patrol located a white Toyota with a damaged taillight in the parking lot at 447 Route 111. Police said the driver admitted to damaging the mailbox and to having marijuana in the car.

Police said he had two grams of marijuana, a digital scale, a marijuana roach and 37 small plastic bags with a marijuana symbol on them — used to package pot.

The juvenile was charged with possession of less-than-four ounces of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released on a promise to appear in juvenile court on Aug. 26.

Stolen Wallet

The owner of Salon DARIN, 435 Main Street, told police Saturday that someone stole his wallet after he placed it down on the counter before cutting a customer's hair.

Two fraudulent transactions were later made on a credit card that was inside the wallet, police said, adding one purchase was made at a Stop & Shop in Trumbull and another was made at a convenience store in Stratford.

Police are looking at video from both stores in an attempt to identify the thief.

Suspended License Arrests

Police made two arrests of drivers for operating with a suspended license over the weekend.

At 5:53 Friday night, an officer conducting radar in the 700 block of Main Street observed a blue Audi A4 swerving and stopped the vehicle. The driver was not intoxicated, but his license was suspended since December of 2010, according to police.

Marco Chantes, 29, of Lee Avenue in Bridgeport was charged with operating with a suspended license and failure to maintain the proper lane. He was released on $250 bond for an Aug. 22 court date.

In a separate incident, A white Ford Taurus was pulled over on Cutlers Farm Road at 5:56 Saturday night after an officer saw it cross over the double yellow line several times.

Police said the driver was not intoxicated, but that his license was suspended since 2007.

Alvin Medina, 40, of North Bishop Avenue in Bridgeport was charged with operating with a suspended license and failure to maintain the proper lane. Bond was set at $250 bond for an Aug. 23 court date.

Road Closing

Pepper Street was closed up to Charter Road at 3:45 a.m. Friday after a primary power line on the street fell across the road. Connecticut Light & Power was notified to make repairs.