POLICE are warning shop owners in Middlewich to be on high alert after the town centre was hit by con artists who stole money from several stores.

Various shops in the town centre fell victim to the con that police say is known as ‘ringing in the change’ where the thief asks for change from the cashier and confuses them so much that they walk away with more money.

Wheelock Street café Drinks and Bites at 35 was one of the businesses hit by the scam and co-owner Holly Cottrell says the man was clearly a professional. 

Holly said: “A guy came in and bought a can of coke and asked if he could change a ten pound note for two fivers, but then he just kept swapping and changing and after about four times you’re just confused by it.

“As soon as he left I knew straight away what he’d done and I spoke to the woman at the flower shop and she said that he’d been in there and had done the same thing.

“The worst thing is he went into the flower shop and bought a card but she told to just take it for free at first but he insisted on paying so he could steal money from her.

“He only stole £10 from us and you think should I bother ringing the police but they need to be stopped because if they go around doing it to everyone they are making a lot of money from doing this.”

Police say the man stole as much has £30 from one shop and are now looking into the incidents and are trying to track down the con men.

Middlewich PCSO David Jinks said: “People need to be aware that this is happening and things like this do happen so they need to be on guard.

“There was a vehicle seen and a registration number was taken so we are looking into that and we’re looking at some shop CCTV on Wheelock Street as well and hopefully we can track them down.

“The guy just totally confuses them so I don’t think it’s something you can advise people on how to avoid, they just need to be aware that this happens and call the police if they think it has happened to them.”

If you have any information regarding the scam, call the police on 101.