(Barbados Nation) THE POLICE ARE warning Barbadians to be careful with their cash after one Bridgetown firm said it had encountered counterfeit dollars.
Managing director of Woolworth, Martin Bryan, said he was forced to make an announcement in the store last Thursday to shoppers after bogus bills were discovered.
Bryan said he was also aware that some of those bills had turned up at other businesses.
Police public relations officer Inspector David Welch said no reports about illicit currency had been made to him but he advised both merchants and shoppers to be aware that there would be “unscrupulous” people attempting to pass counterfeit cash at Christmas time.
Noting that the Central Bank of Barbados issued bulletins about illicit banknotes, Welch urged people to become familiar with the security markings and other features of the authentic notes.
He also encouraged people to alert police about any counterfeit dollars they encountered. He said police would treat any such report seriously.
Shoppers were also being encouraged to be vigilant and to protect themselves and their property as the season wound down.
Crime Prevention Officer Station Sergeant Stephen Griffith also urged people to ensure their homes were locked and lit, where applicable, before they left home.
He also cautioned against walking with or packing cars with heavy loads and leaving them unattended. He said a loaded vehicle was a target for a break-in.
Walking around with large sums of cash was also a no-no.
“It is all about best practices. Be thinking about what you’re doing. You cannot just go out there and because it’s the festive season you forget common sense,” he added.
