Fake gift certificates lead to mall arrests
Advertiser Staff
A 25-year-old man has been charged with forgery after police said he attempted to use a counterfeit gift certificate at Kahala Mall on Sunday.
Ryan Pate was charged with four counts of forgery and was being held in lieu of $11,000 bail. He was arrested Sunday after, according to police, a man tried to use a phony $50 gift certificate at the mall.
Pate is one of four people arrested for allegedly trying to use fake gift certificates at Pearlridge and Kahala malls over a three-day period. The two malls are managed by the same firm, and certificates are valid at both centers.
Last weekend, 13 stores at Kahala accepted 27 fake gift certificates valued at $1,350. Aside from Pate's arrest Sunday, two people were arrested there Monday and yesterday.
At Pearlridge, two women were arrested Monday. Police said they attempted to use the fake certificates.
Jaydence Tamashiro, Kahala Mall marketing manager, said the counterfeits were of high quality and she could understand how a busy cashier could let one pass.
But as soon as mall security was alerted to the fake certificates being circulated, she said, merchants stepped up their vigilance.
"That's when they were able to apprehend one of the suspects," Tamashiro said.
She said consumers also should be on the lookout for bogus certificates and should purchase their certificates from mall customer service offices only.
"We want the public to be aware that there might be people out there who might want to sell it to try and get cash or something," she said.
Beginning next year, gift certificates at Pearlridge will be sold only through American Savings Bank automated teller machines, said Pearlridge general manager Marty Lastner.
Police said the people arrested are being questioned to determine who is behind the phony certificates.
Correction: Pearlridge Center gift certificates are sold at American Savings Bank automated teller machines as well as the mall’s management office. Next year, gift certificates will be sold only at the bank’s ATMs. Information in a previous version of this story was incorrect.
