Gang floods Lothian with counterfeit cash

THREE people have been arrested in connection with a flood of fake £20 banknotes which have been used to con shopkeepers throughout the Lothians.

Detectives investigating the recent string of fraud cases have recovered more than 70 of the fake notes as they hunt for the forgers who are producing them.

Police chiefs believe a criminal gang from outside the region is printing the notes, which are described as "very good quality".

They are extremely difficult to tell from genuine currency, although when compared directly the fakes are slightly lighter. Many of the fakes appear to be Bank of Scotland notes with the serial number DK312544.

More than a dozen shopkeepers have been conned by criminals passing more than 1400 of the fake notes at fast-food restaurants, bakeries and other shops.

CID detectives swooped on an address in Broxburn, West Lothian, last week and arrested a 27-year-old man. He was allegedly in possession of 17 of the fake 20 notes.

And two women, aged 28 and 35, were arrested this week after allegedly passing four 20 counterfeit notes in Livingston's Almondvale Centre. They were caught in possession of 11 of the forgeries after buying food at a Greggs Express bakery.

Two batches of notes are believed to be in circulation, one set copying 20 notes from the Royal Bank of Scotland and the other mimicking the Bank of Scotland's currency.

The seized notes are being sent to experts at the Bank of England in a bid to determine how they are manufactured.

Detective Constable David Crookston, of West Lothian CID, led the inquiry which saw the arrest of the 27-year-old suspect.

He said: "We're not sure how these notes are being printed but it would appear to be quite hi-tech. They are very good quality. The notes seem to be coming into West Lothian from outside the force area, but where from is a mystery at the moment. "We're working with detectives from Midlothian and East Lothian, where notes with the same serial numbers are also appearing."

Last month staff at the Almondvale Shopping Centre sparked a police warning after reporting a number of forged notes being handed over in its stores.

The centre has reported a further wave of dodgy currency turning up this month, while a Livingston petrol station has also been targeted.

Sergeant Chris Hume, the officer in charge of policing the centre, said up to four notes a day were being passed to its shops.

He said: "We've had in excess of 30 counterfeit notes in the last few weeks. The Greggs Express has been hit twice, along with WH Smith, Stationery Box and others. They're hitting a number of different stores, buying small items to get the genuine change.

"Often they are being noticed when the staff cash up at the end of the day. We've had a few calls when staff have noticed them as the suspects are being served."

Fake cash has also turned up across Midlothian in recent weeks, with eight fake Bank of Scotland 20 notes being recovered from shops.

One of the notes was handed over at the McDonalds restaurant in Straiton Park on January 9 by a man in his 20s who used it to pay for a meal.

However, a police spokeswoman said officers in Edinburgh had not noticed an increase in fake notes being passed in city shops.

A spokesman for the Royal Bank of Scotland added that its staff had not received reports of an influx of counterfeit notes bearing the bank's insignia.