NEWPORT, Ore — Police in the Oregon Coast city of Newport are warning business owners and the general public to keep a close eye on the cash they receive after someone stole a fortune in "movie money" during a car break-in.
Newport police officers were dispatched on Thursday for a report of a break-in on the north side of town. The vehicle's owner said that, among other things, about $1 million in prop bills had been taken.
The movie money was in $10, $20 and $100 denominations. While all of the bills are marked with "For Motion Picture Use Only" and "Copy," it can look very similar to real U.S. currency at a glance.
Similar movie money has caused issues for local businesses in the past, Newport police said.
"The Newport Police Department would like to take this opportunity to warn local businesses and the public about the 'counterfeit' money that could begin circulating and to remind all to be diligent, especially in light of this theft, in the proper identification of any currency you take," the agency said.
Beyond the text on the bills, police said that the money will also feel different from authentic U.S. currency.
Movie money doesn’t have the same security measures as authentic bills. Store clerks may notice the paper doesn’t have the same quality as U.S. currency and lacks the security fibers embedded throughout the paper. Additionally, prop money doesn’t have watermarks, color-shifting ink or security thread embedded in legal tender.
Anyone with information about the theft of the prop money or any of other stolen items is asked to contact Officer Jon Humphreys, case #22N-00610.
