An investigation into counterfeit money led to the arrest of an Indiana couple in Princeton over the weekend.
Assistant Princeton Police Chief Shane Allison reported that officers were called to Kentucky Fried Chicken shortly after 12:15 p.m. Sunday when a woman attempted to use counterfeit bills. He mentioned that the staff noticed the pair displaying suspicious behavior at the drive-thru while trying to use the fake money. When officers saw the couple trying to leave, they conducted a traffic stop and detained 30-year-old Ashley Rodriguez of Hobart and 36-year-old Arthur Stueber of Merriville.
During the investigation, police said Stueber told officers that there were additional counterfeit bills in the vehicle where they also found an angle grinder, a lock picking tool set, and a notebook listing storage unit locations.
Both Steuber and Rodriguez were taken into custody and charged with first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and possession of burglary tools.
Police reported that a further investigation revealed that a third-shift officer had responded to a complaint at the BP gas station on Saturday night of a woman attempting to use a counterfeit bill. The employee informed police when they told the woman they had to contact law enforcement, she left the store and drove away. Police said it was determined the woman was Rodriguez.
Additionally, Rodriguez was charged with second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument from the incident at the BP gas station.
Rodriguez and Stueber were lodged in the Caldwell County Jail.
