ORLANDO, Fla. – A man is accused of printing counterfeit money out of a hotel room then using the bills to buy sporting goods at Walmart, according to the Orlando Police Department.
Eleison Figueroa, 19, walked into the Walmart on John Young Parkway around 6:30 p.m. Monday and went to the sporting goods section, grabbed multiple items and took them to the register, the affidavit said.
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Police said Figueroa used 18 counterfeit $20 bills to purchase $360 worth of items.
Figueroa returned to the store around 8:19 p.m. Monday and took the fraudulently-purchased items to the customer service desk to return them for a cash refund, according to the report.
An employee recognized Figueroa as the person who paid with counterfeit bills and notified management to keep an eye on him while they waited for authorities to arrive.
Police said Figueroa returned one item for $115.02 before he noticed management watching him, gathered the remaining items from the counter, left the store and got into a taxi cab that was parked outside.
Figueroa ran away when he saw officers and a patrol car outside, leaving the items he had purchased in the taxicab, according to the affidavit.
He was arrested after a brief chase, police said.
Authorities said they found 11 counterfeit $20 bills in Figueroa's wallet, 10 of which had the same serial number as the 18 counterfeit bills used at Walmart.
Figueroa was also in possession of eight debit cards, the $115.02 in cash he received as a refund from Walmart and a key to a room at the Travelodge Hotel, according to the report.
Police said they searched the hotel room and found a printer, paper and ink for printing counterfeit bills.
Figueroa was arrested on charges of third-degree grand theft and uttering forged bills.