A man was reported at Murray Bridge on Monday after being allegedly found in possession of dodgy bank notes and a slingshot, according to SA Police.
Police were called to Old Swanport Road, Murray Bridge on Monday night around 9pm by reports the man was acting suspiciously. He was allegedly found in possession of counterfeit notes in denominations of $100, $50 and $20.
Police believe the notes, similar to those pictured below, are for training bank staff and come from China.
These notes are clearly distinguishable as fakes, as they have obvious Chinese characters across the clear window and dotted lines across the denomination. However, in dark or busy places or with distracted customers, it is possible they could pass temporarily as genuine.
During a subsequent search of the 38-year-old Murray Bridge man's home, police found a sling shot and a small quantity of cannabis.
He was reported for unlawful possession and possession of a dangerous article and issued with a cannabis expiation notice. He will appear in the Murray Bridge Magistrates Court at a later date.
Think you may have been handed counterfeit notes?
Police urge everyone to take a little extra time to check their notes when making purchases and receiving change.
If you suspect you have a counterfeit note, please report it to the police assistance line on 131 444. Handle the note as little as possible and store it in an envelope. Please be prepared to tell police the time and place where you believe you were passed the fake bank note and a description of the person or people you believe passed it to you.
If you are business proprietor and believe the fake bank note was passed by a customer, note the person’s description and details if they leave the premises prior to police arrival. Please also note any other relevant information such as description of the suspect, anyone else they were with, and their vehicle.
If you have CCTV, please check the footage for the suspect to assist police.
Police recommend that anyone accepting money check the texture of the note, other in-built security features and printing.
To determine if a suspect note is counterfeit, it is best to compare it with a note that is known to be genuine.
For more information about how to detect counterfeit notes please see this information from the Reserve Bank of Australia:
http://banknotes.rba.gov.au/counterfeit-detection/counterfeit-detection-guide/
