Fake £20 scam at Chippenham (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Fake £20 scam at Chippenham

7:00am Friday 17th February 2012 in News By Alex Winter

Four people were arrested after a police swoop following reports of fake £20 notes being passed in Chippenham.

Officers found £1,200 worth of counterfeit notes in the suspects’ car.

Three women and one man, all from Hounslow, were found sitting in a car outside a shop in the town centre on Friday, and arrested by Detective Constable Andy Henson, who works for the Priority Crime Team in Melksham.

The fake £20 notes were found stashed in the car door alongside £420 of real notes. The boot was full of shopping bought that day, allegedly with counterfeit money.

Det Con Henson said: “Four people were arrested on The Bridge sitting in their car.

“We had a phone call from a business in the town, who contacted us to say that a fake £20 note had been spent in store. They gave us details of the people who had been in the shop and the vehicle they left in, and as we arrived in our car I spotted them straight away as they were still sitting outside.”

The officer called for back-up as he was alone when he arrived, and received support from Chippenham police and PCSOs.

“The people arrested denied that they’ve done anything,” PC Henson said.

“They’ve been released on police bail while we make further enquiries. This is a serious crime and if you’re tried with an indictment, you can get ten years in prison if found guilty.”

Since the arrests, police have started to speak to businesses affected, including Poundland, The Works, and Robert Dyas, all of whom had been given the fake £20 notes.

PC Rachel Webb, beat manager for the town centre, organised the operation, and said police will not tolerate counterfeit cash.

“We have alerted all members of the business community to be aware of fake bank notes,” she said.

“I am confident that with excellent CCTV coverage and training we stand a very high chance of detecting any such notes passed. I have a simple message to anyone thinking of passing fake notes in Chippenham. Think twice – we will not be sympathetic and when we catch you, you can expect to be prosecuted with the full force of the law. You have been warned.”