Police: Man who tried to use bogus bills in Port Jefferson sought

Suffolk County police said they are looking for a man who tried to use counterfeit $100 bills to make purchases at two Port Jefferson stores earlier this month.

The man tried to use the phony bills on June 7 at Chris Silver Jewelry on Main Street and East End Shirt Company on Mill Creek Road, police said.

East End Shirt Company owner Mary Joy Pipe told Newsday last week that an employee recognized the phony $100 bill as fake and the man took off.

“It was extremely apparent that it was a fake bill,” she said. “The feel of it, you just knew. It felt like funny money.”

The store handed over the bill and surveillance photos to Suffolk police, Pipe said.

There is a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest, and police are asking anyone with information on the crimes to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-220-8477.

With Lexie Schapitl