POLICE in Crediton are advising shopkeepers and business owners in the town to be on their guard after several instances of fake Bank of England £50 notes and Irish £20 notes have been used to purchase goods in the Mid and East Devon area during the past week.

The notes may not be detectable with the use of counterfeit detection pens.

Anyone who finds one of the counterfeit £50 or £20 notes in their takings is asked to please contact the police on 101 quoting reference CT/68293/16.

If you recognise one during a transaction, please call the police on 999 immediately.

For further information on how to check that your bank notes are genuine, please see the Bank of England website: https://goo.gl/Bp9PpR .

Crediton Police would also like to speak to the person who put a fake Irish £20 note in an envelope on a police vehicle at Crediton Police Station.

Please contact Crediton Police by email with more information at: [email protected] .

Alan Quick