Children being used to rip-off Fife businesses

Crime: Youngsters are asked to buy goods with fake money

Children as young as 11 are being exploited by criminals to rip-off Fife firms with counterfeit currency.

Police have issued an urgent warning to businesses in the region having received several reports of fake £50 notes being tendered by youngsters in recent days.

Since the beginning of February, there have been seven reports of fake notes being used at shops throughout the region, with four stores in Auchtermuchty, Cupar and St Andrews having been targeted most recently.

Sergeant Pat Turner from St Andrews police station said that there was no doubt that criminals were using youngsters to feed their forged notes into the retail sector.

“It is clear that adults are using children in the commission of this crime in an effort to ensure success.

“All business premises should remain alert for this scam and retain any forged money that anyone attempts to use as payment so that it can be passed to police.”

On each occasion that counterfeit money has been discovered, a child believed to be between 11 and 15 years old has entered the store and bought a low-value item.

Using a forged £50 note, the youngster is then given genuine currency as change, leaving each business targeted out of pocket.

Shop and business owners are now being asked to ensure that staff check notes thoroughly and report any suspicions they have about any transactions to police.

Appealing for public help in tracing those responsible, sergeant Turner added: “Anyone with information that can help the police identify whoever is responsible for these offences is asked to get in touch with us as soon as possible.”

The warning comes after fake £50 notes were seized in west Fife and Kinross-shire.

At least four notes were used at premises in Kinross High Street, while forged Bank of England notes were presented in Fife.