News / National
Fake money conmen on the prowl
22 Mar 2014 at 07:46hrs | Views
POLICE are hunting for three conmen who conned two fuel service station attendants with fake $100 notes.
The three conmen who are driving a Toyota Spacio are on the prowl in Mutare targeting fuel stations where they are duping fuel attendants with counterfeit United States dollar notes.
The conmen on Monday hit two fuel stations, at Sakunda and Grants service stations.
Deputy Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Luxson Chananda confirmed the incidents.
He said on Monday at around 9pm, the three drove to Sakunda Service Station where they asked for fuel worth $5.
"The fuel attendant, Prince Chirenga, said they paid for the fuel with a $5 note, but then asked for change for a $100, after he had fuelled their car. To distract his attention, the three said they were selling brand new phones which they showed him. Chirenga did not have the change so he went to his workmate, Evans Mapingasari, who gave him two $50 notes.
"It was only after the conmen had gone when they were counting their money that they realised they had been given a counterfeit note and went to report the matter to the police immediately," said Asst Insp Chananda.
Insp Chananda said on the same evening at around 10pm, the same suspects pulled the same trick on Abel Masendo, a fuel attendant at Grants Service Station.
"They asked for $5 fuel and gave him a fake $100 note. Masendo gave them $95 change. It was later realised that the note was fake when his manager was billing the day's retailing," he said.
Asst Insp Chananda appealed for information from members of the public leading to the arrest of the suspects.
"We also want to appeal to all those in business to always have money detectors to avoid such scenarios, especially for $20, $50 and $100 notes," he said.
Asst Insp Chananda also gave a few pointers on how to detect fake notes.
The three conmen who are driving a Toyota Spacio are on the prowl in Mutare targeting fuel stations where they are duping fuel attendants with counterfeit United States dollar notes.
The conmen on Monday hit two fuel stations, at Sakunda and Grants service stations.
Deputy Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Luxson Chananda confirmed the incidents.
He said on Monday at around 9pm, the three drove to Sakunda Service Station where they asked for fuel worth $5.
"The fuel attendant, Prince Chirenga, said they paid for the fuel with a $5 note, but then asked for change for a $100, after he had fuelled their car. To distract his attention, the three said they were selling brand new phones which they showed him. Chirenga did not have the change so he went to his workmate, Evans Mapingasari, who gave him two $50 notes.
Insp Chananda said on the same evening at around 10pm, the same suspects pulled the same trick on Abel Masendo, a fuel attendant at Grants Service Station.
"They asked for $5 fuel and gave him a fake $100 note. Masendo gave them $95 change. It was later realised that the note was fake when his manager was billing the day's retailing," he said.
Asst Insp Chananda appealed for information from members of the public leading to the arrest of the suspects.
"We also want to appeal to all those in business to always have money detectors to avoid such scenarios, especially for $20, $50 and $100 notes," he said.
Asst Insp Chananda also gave a few pointers on how to detect fake notes.
Source - manicapost
