Rocklin Police arrest 3 in multiple counterfeit money incidents

Rocklin Police officers arrested three suspects attempting to use counterfeit currency at a local business Saturday. According to a Rocklin Police Department press release, officers responded to a report of suspicious individuals trying to use fake currency at local businesses around Rocklin Road and Granite Drive on March 30. Initially, the suspects were not located at the scene, but an alert off-duty Rocklin police officer reported seeing suspicious individuals manipulating large amounts of cash in a nearby parking lot, the release stated. Rocklin Police officers arrived on the scene and apprehended all three suspects following a short foot pursuit. The suspects were found to be in possession of large amounts of counterfeit currency, and it was determined they had passed counterfeit currency at several businesses within the city. Captain Chad Morris, Rocklin public information officer, said one local business tipped off the police department and there were several businesses that fell victim to the counterfeit currency that day. "They are likely connected to an incident in Lincoln," Morris said. Calls to the Lincoln Police Department were not immediately returned. The suspects included Marlon Patterson, 18, and Vincent Anthony Torres, 20, who were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a crime, burglary in the second degree, defrauding felony charges and evading arrest. The third suspect was a minor who was released to their parent's custody. According to the Rocklin Police Department, the U.S. Secret Service was alerted to the case due to the large amount of counterfeit currency that was recovered. Kathrin's Biergarten, located on Granite Drive, was one of the impacted businesses. On Facebook, the restaurant's owner recounted her servers' experience with the suspects shortly before they were arrested. "My hostess sent me a screenshot of a Lincoln neighborhood page from Facebook where an employee posted a picture of three guys who tricked the restaurant with fake money - $50 bills," the post stated. "I immediately recognized them. They were at my restaurant Saturday as well and I found them very suspicious." She said the three suspects asked the hostess to break down two $50 bills into $20s. The owner declined, but the trio was able to have multiple transactions utilizing their currency each time, the social media post explained. "My son (a server) said it was weird, but you know, when you are busy and of course you want to be polite and help and not immediately suspect a foul game," the owner stated. "Seeing the whole footage it was so obvious. But if you just interact in a little sequence, well yeah, I get it."