Fake $100 bills used at Des Plaines fast food restaurants

Suspects used counterfeit $100 bills to pay for food at four Des Plaines businesses last week in an attempt to get back change in real currency, police said.

The incidents - labeled as deceptive practices in the police department's weekly crime report released Friday - occurred between 6:22 and 7:47 p.m. Jan. 10 and involved at least two suspects.

At Don's Dock, 1220 Miner St., one of the offenders ordered $20 worth of food, presented a fake $100 bill, and got $80 back. Another person ordered a $17 meal and got back $83. Both bills passed a currency pen test, police said.

But when the second offender requested to change another $100 bill, the cashier became suspicious, and the suspect left and drove away in a dark gray Chevy Impala, according to police.

Counterfeit money was also reported to be used at Restaurant Mexico, 694 Lee St.; Rand Red Hots, 1441 Rand Road; and Shop & Save, 518 Metropolitan Way.