Retailers warned to be vigilant following north east fraud
A recent incident saw £4,500 acquired from a Stonehaven garden centre
Last updated 25th Apr 2022
Police officers in the north east are asking retailers to be vigilant following a fraud at a garden centre in Stonehaven. Three men entered the premises on Wednesday, 23rd March, 2022, and acquired furniture and clothing worth over £4,500.
The suspects paid for the items with a cheque which later bounced and the items were later found for sale on a well-known online site.
These suspects are believed to responsible for a series of similar crimes in the Grampian and Tayside areas now totalling approximately £45,000.
Fife residents have recently received similar warnings from officers regarding increased bank fraud. Read More: Police warn of increased bank fraud in Fife
Sergeant Katy Townhill, from the Stonehaven Community Policing Team, said: “I would ask retailers to ensure their staff are aware of this type of fraud happening in the area. In particular, to be wary of anyone asking to make high value purchases by cheque and carry out due diligence before accepting payment this way. "
"Anyone with information can contact the Police on 101, quoting incident number 0834 of Monday, 4 April, 2022, or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."