BRISTOL — Police are urging local businesses and vendors at Addison County Fair and Field Days to be on the lookout for counterfeit $5 and $10 bills this week.
An anonymous tip led Bristol police and the U.S. Secret Service agents on Tuesday to arrest Mildred Martin, 29, of Bristol for possession of a regulated drug.
But that’s not why the federal and local authorities stopped Martin, according to Bristol Police Chief Kevin Gibbs. They were informed that she and another person had counterfeit money and a firearm on national forest land.
When the authorities arrested Martin just after 5 p.m. in a North Street parking lot by Almost Home Market, Martin had neither counterfeit money nor a firearm, Gibbs said. Police believe that Martin was tipped off before she was arrested.
Gibbs said that the police have reason to believe that counterfeit money “in small denominations of $5 and $10” could be used at Addison County Fair and Field Days this week or at local businesses. He said that people should be on the lookout for counterfeit cash.
The police are analyzing the small quantity of prescription drugs that they found with Martin.
As for the counterfeit money, Gibbs said the investigation would continue.
Reporter Andrew Stein is at [email protected].