SUMMERDALE, Ala. — The U.S. Secret Service is in the town of Summerdale conducting an investigation after receiving notification of $850 of alleged counterfeit money found in former Police Chief Dwain Riebeling's on-duty vehicle.

Joe Paul, special agent from the Secret Service's Mobile branch, said it was around a week ago when they were notified.

"It's something we're looking into," Paul said. "It's an ongoing investigation."

T.J. Palkovic, senior patrol officer, said he was cleaning the vehicle when he noticed 17 $50 bills above the visor.

“I did not look at it that closely. Until the day I opened it up to clean it out, no one else had access to that vehicle except Riebeling. He was the one who drove it," Palkovic said. "I assumed it was his money and (he) had forgotten about it."

Palkovic said he informed other officers and the town that he was making arrangements with Riebeling for the former chief to pick up the money.

"I never thought for a second about examining it for it to be real," he said. "(Riebeling) came in to claim the money and took a look at it and thought it could be counterfeit. He had it verified that it was counterfeit and notified us, and at that time the Secret Service was notified."

"They gave me some money that was in my old vehicle," Riebeling said. "I don't know how that money was found in my truck. I haven't been in that truck for several weeks."

Riebeling said he took the bills to the United Bank branch in Summerdale, and they marked it and it came up fake.

Gwen Braden, senior vice president of United Bank, said they could not confirm or deny that event happened at the bank.

"I opened it up and asked them to mark it," Riebeling said. "They did and it came up fake. I brought it back to the police department."

Palkovic said the money has been released to the Secret Service, and they are conducting an investigation to the origin of the bills.

Summerdale Mayor David Wilson confirmed that the Secret Service had been contacted by town officials.

For more on this story, read the April 13 edition of The Foley Onlooker.