Police warn businesses of Ringing The Changes Scam in our region

Police are warning businesses to be on the alert for an old style scam which has being doing the rounds in the region over the past few days.  The ‘ringing the changes’ scam involves trying to dupe the victim, usually someone working on a till in shop premises, into changing a large amount of high value notes into smaller ones, or visa versa.  During the transaction the perpetrator then causes confusion over the transaction, usually changing their mind and asking for their money back.  It is at this point of the exchange that a theft of money usually occurs.  Since Thursday 29 August 2013, shop premises in Moffat, Thornhill, Sanquhar, Dalbeattie and Castle Douglas have all been subjected to this type of scam.  All attempts bar one were unsuccessful and the shops rumbled the scam.  In one however, at the Cooperative in Cotton Street in Castle Douglas, over £150 was stolen in the scam at around 1920 hours on Friday 30 August 2013.  It appears that these crimes are being carried out by two males described as being Asian in appearance.  The two at the Cooperative are described as (1) Asian male, in his 30s, 5’8” tall, skinny build, dark hair combed forward, and (2) Asian male, again in his 30s, about 6’ tall, lanky build but heavier up top.  Police are keen to trace these men, and likewise want to hear from anyone who may have any information which may help to trace them.