ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, August 3, 1996 TAG: 9608050033
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PULASKI
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA STAFF WRITER
Police are looking for a woman and her accomplice who exchanged what appears to be rolls of dimes - but in fact are mostly pennies - for nearly 10 times their face value at banks throughout Southwest Virginia.
Five banks, including one in northeast Tennessee, have reported the fraud. After banks in Wytheville, Pulaski and Abingdon fell for the scam, word reached Roanoke banks, according to Investigator Wade Whisman with the Wytheville Police Department.
Daniel Martin, regional security specialist for First Union Bank, said a teller stopped the fraud when she broke open what appeared to be a roll of dimes but pennies fell out. The woman who had brought in the coins fled to a waiting car.
The teller chased the woman from the bank and got a description of the getaway car, but not the driver, whom police believe may also be a woman.
In each instance, police said a woman brought a white canvas bag containing six bunches of 10 rolls of coins wrapped in dime paper wrappers to a teller. The coins appeared to be worth $300, but actually totaled about $30.
The rolls contained mostly pennies sandwiched by dimes.
Whisman said two Wytheville banks, within four blocks of each other, fell for the scam within 20 minutes on Wednesday.
Commander E.A. Hogston of the Pulaski Police Department said the local branch of Signet Bank was hit about 12:20 p.m. Wednesday.
Whisman said alerts have been sent to law enforcement officials and banks throughout the area and videotapes from banks are being examined. Descriptions of the woman vary, which makes Whisman think it may be two women alternating.
"I'm surprised they haven't been caught," Whisman said. "If they continue, it's only a matter of time."
LENGTH: Short : 40 linesby CNB