Man Sought In Phony Lottery Ticket Scheme
Wednesday, February 01, 2006 posted 10:18 AM EST
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Police are looking for a man who is accused of scamming the Iowa Lottery out of almost $3,000.
Authorities said someone made counterfeit lottery tickets and cashed them in at several Git and Go stores.
Police said a man caught on a surveillance video cashed in counterfeit tickets at 12 Git and Go convenience stores, including 10 in Des Moines, a store in Norwalk and a store in Pleasant Hill.
On Jan. 17 and Jan. 18, the man cashed in $2,800 worth of phony tickets, and police believe he made duplicates of a real ticket and then altered the dollar amount and store location.
Officers said they are spending more time investigating crimes related to TouchPlay machines.
In December, a TouchPlay machine was robbed at a Des Moines Kum and Go by a man who used a key and took $1,600, police said.
Officers said they have also investigated fake tickets in the Waterloo area.
"Now these machines are in an environment where they're not as scrutinized as say, Prairie Meadows. It's going to be a lot easier for someone to take advantage of these things, particularly if the clerks are in there by themselves," said Sgt. Vince Valdez, of the Des Moines Police Department.
Iowa Lottery officials said clerks are supposed to suggest that winners sign the ticket and show identification, but police said that the assailant got the money at all 12 locations without having to go through the procedure.
"Any location that has these machines is going to be a lot more aware of the people buying their tickets and cashing them and alerting the clerks to this," Valdez said.
Lottery officials told NewsChannel 8 that they are still considering changes to the TouchPlay games and that they may consider requiring winners to show identification.
Police are looking for a white male in his late 20s, with dark hair and glasses.
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