The police have mounted a search for a woman believed to have been duping shopkeepers out of money by offering a €200 note for her purchases and hiding some of the change.
The woman, believed to be a foreign national, was captured on closed-circuit television cameras attempting to trick shop owners as they tendered change for her €200 note.
In the footage, the woman is seen hastily concealing some of the change that she has been returned and then arguing with the shop owner that she had not been given enough change.
She hastily conceals some of the change and argues she has
not been given enough
Sources close to the police said several such reports had been filed. The woman is believed to have cheated owners in at least three of the four shops she is known to have targeted, stealing €100 from a computer outlet in St Paul’s Bay, as well as stealing from shops in Qormi and Mosta.
The matter was made public when a shop owner uploaded CCTV footage of her on social media, warning other shop owners to be careful. He said the woman attempted to buy a box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates for €9 and tried paying with a €200 note.
The shop owner watched as the woman was being given her change. At one point he realised that she had hidden some euro notes. Then she complained she had not been given enough change.
She asked for her money back, saying she found the same chocolates for a lower price elsewhere. The shop owner realised what was happening, took all his money back, gave the woman her €200 note and told her to leave his shop.
When the incident began making the rounds, another shop owner said the woman had managed to fool him and he was under in his till by €100.
Sources said the police were actively searching for the woman.