Police Charge Youth With Counterfeiting

By Andrew Gorosko

Police have charged a local youth with allegedly counterfeiting currency and then using the fake money for purchases at local businesses.

Police said they charged Kyle E. Kirch, 17, of 42 Huntingtown Road on August 3 with two counts of first degree forgery and two counts of sixth degree larceny. First degree forgery is a felony.

On August 3, Kirch allegedly purchased food at Dunkin’ Donuts at Newtown Shopping Village at 6 Queen Street and paid for it with a counterfeit $20 bill, which he had made using computer equipment, said police Lieutenant George Sinko.

On the same day, Kirch allegedly passed a counterfeit $20 bill at the Ice Cream Shop at 51 Church Hill Road for a purchase there, police said.

Kirch also allegedly passed counterfeit money that day at the Citgo gas station at 151 South Main Street, police said.

After receiving a complaint about the counterfeit money, police investigated and went to Kirch’s residence, where they found a computer scanner and some genuine and some apparent counterfeit $20 bills, Lt Sinko said. The total face value of the bills found was less than $300, he said. Police confiscated the items as evidence, the lieutenant said.

Lt Sinko said it appears that Kirch was acting alone in counterfeiting the currency and then passing the fake money for purchases. Police are referring the counterfeiting case to the US Secret Service, the federal agency that handles counterfeit currency investigations, he said.

Detective Sergeant Robert Tvardzik said the police investigation into Kirch’s alleged counterfeiting is continuing, but police do not expect to make any other arrests in the case.

Police released Kirch into the custody of his parents for an August 19 appearance in Danbury Superior Court to answer the charges.