KINGSTEIGNTON residents are being urged to be on the look out for counterfeit £50 notes in the town.

Tesco Express, Hobbycraft and Halfords have all reported the notes being used in their stores to local police.

Town councillors were warned about the counterfeit notes in the monthly report from the neighbourhood police team to the full council meeting.

The report stated: ‘As you are probably aware there has been a spate of the usage of counterfeit £50 notes in the town.

‘The police are investigating these coupled with the serious organised crime unit.

‘We urge people to air on the side of caution with this high value currency.’

The report went on to state there had been ‘a spike’ in vehicle damage and interference crimes from previous months in and around the town, which police are investigating.

From last month’s full town council meeting to this month’s – September 7 to October 5 – there had been 29 recorded crimes in Kingsteignton, largely domestic incidents.

The report stated that, of those crimes, two people had been charged with driver offences, one for drink driving and one for driving as a disqualified driver.