A fast food outlet in Newry (Co. Down) called police after it was discovered that one of its workers had accepted play money as payment for a sandwich.
A pretend €100 note, from a set sold by the Early Learning Centre toy shop chain, was used to not only fraudulently purchase the sandwich but also to pocket a significant amount of real currency as change.
Newry is close to the border, where it is common for business to accept both the local currency of pounds sterling as well as euros.
PSNI Newry & Mourne stated incredulously on it’s Facebook page about the above picture: “Have a good, close look.
“Yep you are right you know, it’s a pretend 100 Euro note from a leading kiddies toy store.
“So why do we have it in an evidence bag I hear you query? Well it’s in an evidence bag because it’s evidence. Evidence of the offence of tendering counterfeit currency.
“I know, I know a kids play note counterfeit currency?? Well believe it or not this was actually accepted as payment recently in business premises in Newry.
“Actually!
“If you work in a cash handling job please take 5 seconds to check all notes you are accepting, the first check would be look at the thing! The second would be to swipe a counterfeit detector pen across it, you can buy these online for pennies. Then consider the feel of the note.
“Clearly no checks were done on this note and that business is now 100 Euro down plus the value of the goods it was used to ‘pay’ for! Isn’t it as well the £ is pretty strong against the Euro!”
Photographic evidence : PSNI Newry & Mourne