Canada-wide warrant issued after toonie fraud costs B.C. banks $30K

A Canada-wide warrant has been issued for a man accused of passing off metal washers as toonies in order to steal $30,000 from more than a dozen banks in B.C.

RCMPsay a man went to 17 banks in the Lower Mainland to ask that rolls of toonies be exchanged for bills between March and May.

Each roll had a toonie on either end to make it look authentic, but tellers later realized the rest of the "coins" were actually washers, police said in a statement.

Each 25-coin roll was exchanged for $50, fora total of $30,000 in cash.

Terrelle Robert Talbot, 43, is wanted on 17 counts of criminal fraud over $5,000. He has no fixed address and is originally from Nova Scotia, where there is also an outstanding warrant for his arrest in relation to similar offences.

Talbot is described as being six feet tall, 201 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone who has information on his whereabouts is asked to call North Vancouver RCMPat (604) 985-1311.

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