Beware of banknotes with stains; CONLON on crime

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), Sept 12, 2008

Byline: CONLON

A STAINED banknote is probably a stolen one.

That's the message from the police and national crime prevention scheme Banknote Watch.

Each year in the UK hundreds of thousands of pounds in cash is stained by anti-theft devices during robberies.

The cash is indelibly marked and if this stained cash goes into circulation criminals are being allowed to profit from crime and are encouraged to steal again.

To help prevent this cycle of crime businesses are urged never to accept stained banknotes if offered them by a customer.

Notes can be stained with different colours; red, purple, blue and green are all used.

People offered a stained note by a retailer should:

Refuse it; only accept clean notes.

If you are given a stained note from a cash machine take it to the bank or building society counter.

If you obtain a stained note take it to a bank, building society or post office.

They stock special Bank Of England mutilated notes claim forms. You need to fill them in and then return the banknote to the Bank of England.

You will get a refund as long as the note is genuine and not a fake.

Banks, building societies and post office should be happy to help you as part of their customer service.

Retailers should:

Treat stained notes as damaged ones and not accept them.

Advise customers to take stained notes to the nearest bank or Post Office and obtain a mutilated note form to get the note swapped for a new one.

The form, together with the stained note, should be sent to the Bank of England, King Street, Leeds LS1 1HT. Once it can be confirmed the note is not counterfeit a replacement is sent back.

If you feel intimidated take a full description of the person who gave you the note and pass it to the police.

Don't send stained notes through your Cash in Transit service.

On a different note, if you have to hide your valuables at home then find a better hiding place than most.

Halifax Home Insurance says the top four favourite spots are: 1 Under the bed.

2 In the sock drawer.

3 On top of the wardrobe.

4 Bedside table.

Burglars will search these first, so if you have to hide your things think of better places than these.

Safes are, well, a safe bet!

CAPTION(S):

CASH: Is it genuine?