Bend, Ore. – Bend Police have arrested two teens for allegedly selling fake gold bars to unsuspecting adults in the past year.
Bend Police said in a news release that officers arrested two 17-year-old boys Tuesday on multiple counts of aggravated theft by deception and conspiracy.
Police say the teens brought in more than $50,000 selling the counterfeit gold to adults in Bend and Redmond who were looking to buy the precious metal on Craigslist.
Police first heard reports of the transactions in late February and say additional reports were made in March identifying the suspects.
The boys allegedly bought the look-alike gold bars online and sold them as the real thing to men ranging in age from 29 to 65.
The 17-year-olds were booked into a juvenile detention center.
Authorities are asking the community to notify Bend police if you purchased Royal Canadian Mint bars or Perth Mint bars from someone other than a dealer between July 2016 and March 21, 2017.
