Pub landlords in Newport were warned this week against a pair of scam artists who have hit the town.
The tricksters are entering pubs in the town and posing as a couple out for a drink.
The man then goes to the bar and orders two drinks and pays the barmaid with a £20 note. When the till is open, the man asks for change of a £50 note. Once change from the £20 note is handed over, the man claims he had paid for the drinks with £50 in an effort to pocket £30.
The first report of the couple was in The Bridge Inn, Chetwynd End on Monday night where staff quickly realised they were trying to be conned.
Pub owner Nicola Knox explained what happened and said her barmaid, Debbie, alerted her immediately.
“He paid for a drink with a £20, it was a real note, and then he started asking for change. Debbie clicked on straight away that something was not right. Then he tried to say she owed him £70.
“Debbie called me and we did a till check together and as soon as he realised we were doing a till check he said he just wanted the £50 and he started to get agitated.
“He kept trying to talk to us when we were doing the till check and each time he did that we just stopped and re-counted again, he must have done it about five times. But he got no money from here.”
Julie Lloyd from the Barley pub on High Street said a man came into her pub with the same scam last year.
She said: “ Last year one of our staff said they came in and tried it. They have not come in here but if I see them I will be warning other pubs.”
Spokesman for Telford Police Chris Ammonds said: “We did receive a call relating to an incident around 9pm on Monday. We would advise all landlords to exercise caution and be extremely careful. If anyone has any doubt about somebody, do not accept the £50 note.”
Mr Ammonds added the man had successfuly obtained £30 from The Pheasant pub on Upper Bar using the scam.
The man involved in the incident is described as white, five foot ten inches, brown spiky hair, aged in his 30s, wearing thick glasses, a blue hoodie and light blue jeans.
It is believed he may have been trying to put on an accent, possibly from Manchester or Liverpool.
The female accomplice was described as short with dark/red hair, sunken eyes and of a plump frame.
Anyone with information can contact Newport police on 08457 444888 or crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
