The Canadian Press
HAMILTON–A man and a woman accused of using a high-quality printer stolen from a Hamilton college to make counterfeit cash and produce fake documents appeared to be “trying to perfect their craft” when they were arrested, police said yesterday.
Officers seized boxes containing “hundreds of pieces of documents” when the pair was arrested last month, Det. Const. Phil Poirier said.
“The officers at the scene basically said ‘Ok we’re in a room now and there’s a whole bunch of documents’ … just tons of stuff,” Poirier said.
Evidence suggests the printer was being used to produce fraudulent documents, including driver’s licence cards, health cards, birth certificates, social insurance cards, credit cards and counterfeit currency, police said.
But Poirier said the quality wasn’t good.
“I’ve seen a lot better,” he said, “Some of it was OK, but I think to the average person they would be able to tell it was fraudulent.”
“Basically it looked like they were trying to perfect their craft, they were practising and practising, so it was getting better and better and better and better.”
The $6,200 printer was taken from Mohawk College last Nov. 21, by a man posing as a service person.
“That printer is specific for making identification cards,” Poirier said.
The suspects were caught on security cameras in the college and two Hamilton men, aged 27 and 31, have been arrested and charged with theft over $5,000.
Poirier said the printer was seized at a Hamilton home last month and has been returned to the college.
A 33-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man, both from Hamilton, face charges that include making counterfeit marks, possessing instruments for forgery, identity theft documents, and making counterfeit money.
It isn’t known if any fake documents or counterfeit cash have made it into circulation, Poirier said.
“Whether it’s been used or is being used, I’m still in the investigative stages,” the fraud detective said.
