SCAMMERS armed with fake £20 notes are plaguing a Flintshire town.

Police in Mold are urging people to be on their guard against a large number of forged notes being circulated there.

PC Anthony Butlin, Mold’s community beat manager, said: “We can’t even put a value on the number of fakes which are around – we just know it’s a lot.

“They have been given in to pubs, shops and even on buses and seem to be quite good copies.

“I would urge everyone in Mold to check any notes they are given very, very carefully and make sure they have a genuine watermark.”

Pub managers across the town have vowed to help police clamp down on those behind the scam after some of their businesses became targets.

Lisa McKessy-Schofield, landlady of the Dolphin Inn on Mold High Street, said: “We had a fake given to us last Saturday night but luckily my staff are very vigilant and they spotted it straight away.

“This particular one didn’t look like a very good copy but I have heard there are some very good ones around.”

She added: “Anyone with a fake note should know they will not get rid of them here.

“We have a special UV light which tests whether notes are fake and if we are given any more forgeries we will confiscate them straight away and hand them to the police.

“I have also put a notice up in our bar to warn people about what is happening.”

Phil Stephenson, manager of Mold’s Wetherspoons branch, said: “We haven’t had any forgeries this time around, but we were targeted about four or five years ago.

“We made sure we kept our CCTV footage and shared it with police at the time.

“My staff are on the ball and they will be on the look out for fake notes. We will be using UV detectors and warning people to be aware.”

But Nikos Solakis, tenant manager at the Griffin Inn, said watching out for the counterfeits could be difficult during busy periods.

He added: “We will be keeping a special eye out but when there are lots of people in the pub there just isn’t time to check everything really well.”

PC Butlin said people who come across fake notes or fear they have been given one should keep hold of it and hand it in to police as soon as possible.

Anyone with information should call the North Wales Police control room on 0845 6071002.


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