An arrest has been made in relation to counterfeit bank notes which are in circulation throughout the Newtownabbey area.
A number of businesses have been targeted over the last number of days.
The bank notes found to be fake include Bank of Scotland notes – however police are asking all business and shoppers to be vigilant with all currency notes.
Below is some advice taken from the Bank of England website:
You should check a few features which are specific to each denomination – for example the see-through window on the polymer £5 and £10 notes, the holographic strip and watermark on the £20 note and the green motion thread and watermark on the £50 note.
Hints and tips for retailers:
People trying to use counterfeit banknotes will often try to buy a low-value item using a high-value note such as a £20 note.
Using UV lamps to check that a banknote is genuine- a good quality ultra violet (UV) lamp that emits light at around 365 nanometres is best for checking the fluorescent feature on the £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes.
Remember, do not just check one security feature but check a few such as the feel of the paper and the raised print, the watermark and the metallic thread.
Using a “detector pen” to check that banknotes are genuine – the pens work by reacting with the starch that is present in ‘normal’ wood pulp paper.
If you are handed a banknote that you suspect is counterfeit, keep it and ask for another form of payment if you feel safe to do so. If the circumstances are suspicious – ie – you suspect that the customer is knowingly trying to pass a counterfeit banknote – call the police on 101 and hand the note to them.
The person arrested in relation to the forgery is currently assisting police with their enquires.
