Michael McCoppin

PENN TWP — A Middlesex Township man was arrested on charges he passed five counterfeit $20 bills outside a car dealership.

The victim in the alleged funny money scam, however, turned out to be a cashier and immediately knew the bills were fake.

Penn Township police said they eventually identified the suspect, 31-year-old Michael A. McCoppin, who was arrested Wednesday on forgery and other charges.

Police suspect McCoppin was at Kelly Chevrolet on Route 8 shortly before 3 p.m. Monday when he approached a woman in the parking lot, according to court documents.

He asked the woman, who was in a vehicle, if she had a $100 bill in exchange for five 20s. She said she did and the exchange was made.

The woman, a cashier for “many years,” police said, at once recognized the bills were bogus.

The defendant, who was wearing a hat and eyeglasses, by then was already walking into the dealership. The woman followed him inside and reported to others what just happened.

The suspect took off his hat and glasses to hide his appearance long enough so he could make his way through the showroom and out a back door.

Police, however, would later find two witnesses who happened to recognize him.

Police said that before McCoppin left the dealership, he discarded five additional counterfeit 20-dollar bills he was carrying in a garbage can at the business.

Police said the getaway was captured on surveillance cameras and they subsequently recovered the fake bills from the trash can.

Officer Stephen Setnar eventually spoke to McCoppin at his home. He allegedly admitted to the charges and gave the officer a written statement.

Setnar in his affidavit noted the defendant “has cooperated with police to recover the monies and counterfeit monies.”

The victim's 100-dollar bill, he noted, has been returned to her.

District Judge Sue Haggerty on Wednesday arraigned McCoppin on a felony charge of forgery and misdemeanor charges of theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception and receiving stolen property.

He also is charged with summary counts of criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.

A preliminary hearing is set for May 30 at Haggerty's office in Saxonburg.