Stolen bank notes worth $50,000
Arizona Coin Collector
They return back to sell the stollen coins. :)
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FROM:
http://www.ellwoodcityledger.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20199903&BRD=2724&PAG=461&dept_id=563781&rfi=6
Ellwood City Ledger - PA
Stolen bank notes worth $50,000
Larissa Theodore, Calkins Media
11/17/2008
ROCHESTER - Rochester police have nabbed two
Beaver County men accused of trying to cash
more than $50,000 in stolen bank notes.
Police are now trying to piece together how
the men got their hands on the rare national
currency, taken Nov. 8 from a convention in
Stamford, Conn.
Charles J. Piuri, 51, of P.O. Box 254, Enon
Valley, and Kansas M. Conrady, 31, of 52
Russell St., Baden, were charged with
receiving stolen property and criminal
conspiracy. Piuri was also charged with
possession of heroin and pills.
Both men remained in the Beaver County
Jail on Friday, Piuri on $25,000 bond and
Conrady on $50,000 bond. Conrady had been
held on a county bench warrant for a parole
violation.
Rochester Police Chief Joe DeLuca said Ted
Young, owner of Young's Jewelry in Rochester,
first alerted police Wednesday after the men
attempted to hawk stolen national bank notes
at his store. Police said the notes are
worth $53,529.
Young, who buys coins, gold and other small
collectibles, said he bought eight of the
notes Monday from Conrady after consulting
with Don Kelly of Oxford, Ohio, a national
currency dealer, to see how much they were
worth.
Conrady was given $5,450 for the nine notes,
according to police, before he and Piuri
returned Tuesday with more notes.
Young said they asked for $5,500, but he
told them the notes weren't worth that much.
Young said he learned Wednesday morning
from Kelly that the currency was stolen.
Young said he was able to get a list of
the serial numbers from the owner, Thomas
Denly, a currency dealer from Boston, and
realized all of the notes he had purchased
Monday were on the list. That's when he
called police.
DeLuca said police advised Young to call
again if the men returned. When the two
came back Wednesday seeking to get rid of
some coins, Young tried to stall them.
"I asked, 'Do you still have that currency?
I can do something with it,' " he said.
When Piuri and Conrady went to their car to
get bank notes, Young called police. The men
returned with 16 notes, and a minute later
DeLuca and officers John Farmer and Sam
Piccinini showed up.
DeLuca said police searched the vehicle and
found more bank notes. In the end, police
recovered 38 laminated notes, including
$5, $10 and $20 bills from the mid-1700s
and early 1800s. DeLuca said one of the
$10 bills dates back to 1752 and is worth
$9,750.
The money was taken from a collector and
seller of rare coins and currency at a
convention in Stamford. DeLuca said they
believe that someone with a quick hand
snatched the bills from a table.
Rochester police are working with Stamford
police on the investigation. Additional
theft charges could be filed if police
determine the men were at the convention
and took the notes.
"We're just glad that we're able to get
this money back to the owner," DeLuca
said.
Police also confiscated thousands of
dollars in cash. Conrady was carrying
$4,801.50, and Piuri had $4,773 when
they were arrested, police said. A bag
containing two stamp bags of heroin and
nine unknown pills was found on the
floor near Piuri, police said.
Police recovered more unsealed currency
during the vehicle search, but DeLuca
said they have yet to sort through it.
Larissa Theodore can be reached online
at lthe...@timesonline.com .
..