CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police arrested an Oregon man on Saturday for attempting to pass a counterfeit $100 bill at a city grocery store.

Christopher Alexander Hedge, 25, of Klamath Falls was taken into custody on Saturday afternoon, according to a report from Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department.

Shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday police were dispatched to Ray's Food Place, located at 15930 Dam Road, on a report of a male subject who had attempted to pass a counterfeit $100 bill, Joseph said.

Joseph said Officer Travis Parson arrived at the store and was notified by employees that the subject had just left on foot. He was described as a white male wearing a blue jacket and camouflage pants.

Officer Parson observed a subject matching this description walking westbound on Old Highway 53 after crossing Highway 53, Joseph said.

Parson contacted the subject, who Joseph said was identified as Hedge, on Old Highway 53 near the intersection with Cache Creek Way. 

Hedge admitted to using the counterfeit $100 bill to make a purchase, saying he suspected the bill to be counterfeit. Joseph said Hedge’s statements were not consistent as to where he had obtained the counterfeit currency from. 

Joseph said Parson arrested Hedge and transported him to the police department for processing.

During the investigation Joseph said Parson learned that Hedge had successfully passed another counterfeit $100 bill at Ray's Food Place a couple of hours earlier in the day on Saturday.

Hedge, whose occupation is listed as a cashier, was booked into the Lake County Jail on Saturday night on felony charges of second-degree burglary and possession of a forged note, with bail set at $15,000, according to jail records. He remained in custody on Sunday.

Joseph said the case also will be forwarded for followup to the United States Secret Service, which has federal jurisdiction on counterfeit US currency investigations.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Parson at 707-994-8251, Extension 507.