Thetford Garden Centre is hoping to track down a customer who may unwittingly have got caught up in a banknote scam that has cost the business £130.

Fraudsters paid for goods with counterfeit notes and tricked staff into handing over more cash. They may then palmed off two fake £20 notes on a customer who agreed to give them £40 in smaller notes in exchange, after a till operator at the centre was unable to change them.

The store’s business development manager Shane Hinkley (pictured) told GTN Xtra: “We’re not absolutely sure the customer was involved but there is CCTV footage and the police are involved. The local paper will be giving it publicity, which will help.”

Two men both bought goods with forged notes and got staff to swap the change for more fake notes. In all, the centre has lost £130.

Shane told an Eastern Daily Press reporter:  “We employ a lot of people from around the area as well, around 70 or 80 staff, and it is hard when you are just trying to make a living and when something like this happens it is a bit of a knock and upsets the staff as well.”

He said he felt sorry for the customer who may have been duped. “He has been really kind to give this guy £40 and he may have been given two fake £20 notes in return.

“As a family business it is one thing to hit a business but to hit someone who has just come in from the street, I find that more upsetting than them coming to us.”

Norfolk Police said they believed the two men left the area in a dark blue BMW and appealed for anyone with information to contact police using 101 or by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.