New $100 bills stolen en route to Fed facility Not sure if the notes were completed notes (with serial numbers) or if they were Specimen notes. If they are completed notes the thieves will have to hold them for a while before spending them. I'm sure the Feds have the serial numbers so they will have to be careful how and where they unload them.
Well, they'd get spent. But when the notes hit the bank, or the Federal Reserve system, they'll be caught. Then they trace them back to where and when they were spent, and investigate from there. As far as I know.
But how would Macy's know which customer uses a single $100 bill, or even a dozen hundred dollar bill? Mandy
If someone comes in with a bill that is distinctively different they will notice. If you doubt me, try spending one of the older small head $100s - it will be thoroughly scrutinized. Outside of the USA no one will even take the small head notes.
They don't the first time. But they'll be alerted, and if the person comes back in, they'll know to look for them. Also, the Feds will notify other nearby businesses likely to be hit, and will map the areas that the bills are passed in, and detect any pattern that might appear. But I imagine the bills are quickly being sold and distributed. The thief is probably selling them for 25 cents on the dollar, knowing that they can't be used for a year or two.
The notes are genuine, I wouldn't sell a genuine note on the street for 25 cents on the dollar. The notes would be highly noticeable and we all know the general public would be too stupid to hold onto the notes until the public release of the notes themselves. Store clerks and bank tellers would notice the strange looking notes and report the people who tried to use them. If I were the thief or thieves, I would stash these notes away until the new notes have been issued to the public for six months. In all honesty, this is likely an inside job from one or more employees which means they will most-likely be quickly found and caught.
They're probably in China already. We'll probably see Chinese counterfeits before the actual notes are released.
not wise to spend notes that are not in circulation yet only way to avoid getting caught is to chance it in vegas! stick them in play a little, cash out. woola a cash voucher
The slot machines and cash dispensers may well need to be retrofitted before they'll accept the new hundreds. It was a problem when the colored fives came out and the slots would just accept the black and white fives. In fact, some casinos were just cheap or lazy as they did not bother to update their machines until the uncolored fives started to become difficult to find in circulation. Suffice to say it could be a good while until the new hundreds can be used in Vegas.
I wouldn't be surprised if within a few years they have machines that read bar codes that alert police or casino authorities that stolen money is being used.
Sorry guys... looks like they found them~ http://money.cnn.com/2012/10/23/news/economy/us-airways-theft/index.html?iid=HP_River
I would guess the first people to question would be those with access to the shipment (e.g., the baggage handlers). Mr. Price probably cracked under questioning. So much for his criminal career.