The Girl Scouts had just begun their annual cookie drive. Not only did the thieves buy several boxes of cookies with counterfeit money, but they also asked for change to be made.
"The girls are heartbroken," said troop leader Cheryl Williams. "Because they do trust, this is a life lesson for them."
The incident happened last Saturday after troops set up a table outside a local grocery store. A man and woman passed off the $50 counterfeit bills within minutes of each other.
Williams says the transaction seemed innocent enough.
"(The girls) used the counterfeit pen on the money, and it worked," Williams said.
They had been on the lookout for this type of crime after another troop was hit.
Law enforcement is reviewing surveillance video taken from the store in the hopes of identifying the suspects. Rancho Cucamonga Police Capt. Anthony Onodera said they also reached out to the troop to provide training on spotting counterfeit money.
The troop believes they are out a little more than $200 from the incident, and Williams said the girls are liable for that money.
