Shoe shopper caught out by photocopied notes

JONATHON CAMERON/Manawatu Standard

CRUDE FORGERY: Detective Nigel Affleck displays examples of the poorly forged notes a Palmerston North woman was allegedly caught trying to pass off as currency.

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A Palmerston North woman out shoe shopping has been caught flat-footed after allegedly trying to pass off a crudely forged $100 bill as genuine currency.

Staff at Number 1 Shoe Warehouse phoned police on Friday when they realised the note handed to them was fake.

They then managed to keep the would-be customer busy long enough for a passing patrol car to reach the store.

"The staff handled the situation brilliantly. We couldn't have asked them to do any more than they did," Detective Nigel Affleck said.

Another three $100 prints - each with one blank side - and a fake $50 bill were later allegedly found in the woman's purse.

The woman, 30, was to appear in court today charged with using a forged document.

Mr Affleck said the notes - made of paper using a colour photocopier, adhesive and Sellotape - were an "extremely poor attempt" at counterfeit.

"Basically they've just stuck two pieces of paper together and got some Sellotape to make the transparent panels," he said. "It's a pretty crude method and you can tell it's fake as soon as you touch it."

One such note was accepted at KFC on Princess Street that day, but police have not established if the same offender was responsible.

Mr Affleck said he sent out a warning to liquor outlets on Friday to be aware of the counterfeit notes.

"If a bar was really busy in dim light and they're going back and forth to the cash register then it would be easy for one of these notes to slip under the radar, which would be a real hassle," he said.

"We don't know if there are any more of these about, so businesses should be on the look out for anyone trying to hand over $100 or $50 notes that don't quite look or feel right. If they do see one, then we want to know straight away."

Legitimate New Zealand notes are made of polymer, which has a plastic feel, and the ink is raised to the touch. The paper bills under investigation are noticeably thicker, with distorted colouring, uneven edges and a stiff texture.

- © Fairfax NZ News