US woman shops with fake $1m bill

Pike had three bogus $1m bills, police said

A US woman has been charged with forgery after trying to use a fake $1 million bill at a supermarket.

Alice Pike, 35, pulled out the note at a Georgia Wal-Mart store to pay for $1,672 worth of goods and asked for change, police said.

The cashier immediately noticed the bill - bearing the picture of the Statue of Liberty - was fake and called her manager who alerted the police.

The US Treasury does not make $1m bills, which only go as high as $100.

In 1969, the Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve System discontinued banknotes in denominations of $500, $1,000 and $10,000 due to lack of use.

Police are reportedly investigating Pike's mental state

"This is the first time in my law enforcement career I've seen someone trying to use a $1 million bill," local police chief Almond Turner was quoted as saying by the Houston Chronicle newspaper.

"It was green, but you could tell it was not a real bill," Mr Turner added.

Ms Pike had three of the $1m bills when she was arrested at the store in Covington on Tuesday, police said.

Mr Turner said she claimed she got the bills from her husband.