Bogus Checks Seized by Police

Police this week arrested one man and seized more than $35,000 in counterfeit traveler’s checks and the computer gear used to make them at a local home, officials said Thursday.

Police discovered a sophisticated “home print shop” at the home of Robert Tana, 22, in the in 8000 block of Monticello Circle, with computers and stacks of photo copies of actual documents, Westminster Police Det. Mark D. Nye said.

A large camera and laminating equipment was also found, along with evidence that suggests Tana was making bogus Washington state licenses, Nye said.

Investigators searched the two-story rental home after Tana was arrested Tuesday in a rental car with two counterfeit $100 traveler’s checks in his possession, Nye said.

Tana had been pulled over for a traffic violation.

Ney was held Thursday in lieu of $75,000 bail on suspicion of counterfeiting, and also faces charges of jumping bail on alleged weapon and drug violations from earlier this year, Nye said.

The Little Saigon district of Westminster has been flooded in recent months with bogus traveler’s checks and other phony documents and credit cards, Westminster Police Det. Laurie A. Clemons said.

The traveler’s checks seized Tuesday night show an opaque “AE” symbol in the center of the left side that can only be seen on the genuine article by tilting the document in light.

“Really, only a trained eye or someone who deals with these types of checks all the time would notice anything unusual about them,” Nye said.

Tana was identified Thursday by police as a member of a local Asian street gang.

Nye said local gangs have increasingly turned to computer crimes and fraud as a far more lucrative, less risky alternative to crimes such as home invasions.

Westminster police have reports of local gang counterfeit documents turning up in Colorado, Florida, Texas, Washington and other states, Nye said.