FORGERY gangs plan to flood Glasgow with thousands of fake bank notes during next year's Commonwealth Games.

It is feared city retailers will be the main target, during the 2014 sporting event, for fraudsters using counterfeit bank notes.

Next July, tens of thousands of sportsmen and women and athletics fans will descend on Glasgow and police are today warning visitors and city shops to be vigilant.

While security will be tight at the sporting arenas, it is feared criminal opportunities are likely to present themselves in other areas.

Police said officers are "committed" to ensuring the safety of spectators and visitors during the 11 days of competition.

Chief Inspector Alan Porte, who is in charge of policing the city centre, said: "Given the numbers of visitors expected at the Games, Police Scotland will be doing all that we can to make sure that people come and enjoy all that Glasgow has to offer and remain safe.

"Criminals are becoming ever more sophisticated in their ways of using technology to produce counterfeit currency.

"That said, we continue to be successful in tackling the issue.

"As a member of the public, the simplest way to protect yourself from this kind of crime is only to deal with people you know and trust.

"If you need to receive cash from someone you don't know, ask them to accompany you to the bank, or even better, do your transaction electronically.

"If you are in doubt about the quality of a note, or if it doesn't feel right, don't accept it."

Police insist they are not aware of any influx of counterfeit currency in to the city centre.

But officers are urging both locals and visitors to be vigilant when they handle currency.

Fake cash leaves shops with the worthless currency and out of pocket after having given real cash back as change, as well as losing the items the con artists have "bought".

And it is feared the Commonwealth Games will only add to the problem.

Shop staff and sales desks are expected to be under "increased pressure" during the Games, making it more likely for fake notes to be accepted.

Mr Porte, said: "Businesses should be vigilant and use detection systems whenever possible.

"This will make it more difficult for criminals to pass counterfeit cash as genuine and therefore reduce the chances of such cash entering general circulation."

Genuine Scottish bank notes have a watermark that is hardly visible until it is held up to light.

A metallic thread is embedded in the paper of all bank notes and appears as silver dashes on the back of the note.

When held up to the light, the metallic thread appears as a continuous dark line.

Each note also has an individual serial number and fluorescent features, which show up only when they are exposed to ultraviolet light.

Real bank notes are printed on special paper, which feels slightly rough - not smooth, shiny, limp, oily or waxy.

Last year, police launched an investigation after conmen targeted Glasgow shops with fake bank notes.

The fraudsters bought items, including mobile phones and computers, with counterfeit Clydesdale Bank £20 notes.

As previously revealed by the Evening Times, detectives have solved almost 75% of robberies in Glasgow City Centre in the past six months.

And senior officers believe this is "good news" for next year's Games.

The number of robberies and muggings in Glasgow city centre have fallen by more than 30%.

There were just 33 robberies reported between April 1 and October 1 in the city centre, against 48 in the same period last year.

And those responsible for 24 of the 33 robberies have been detected and reported to the procurator fiscal.

Incidents of disorder and assaults in the city centre are also continuing to fall.

Mr Porte, who is based at Stewart Street police office, said: "These figures are very good news.

"Glasgow is a very safe city and we will continue to reduce the number of robberies."

However, police are expecting an increase in "low-level" crimes, including pick-pocketing and distraction robberies.

Mr Porte, added: "We are trying to learn lessons from what happened at last year's Olympics in London.

"We will have extra officers on the street to tackle all kind of crimes, including pick-pocketing and distraction crimes, which are common when large numbers of people come together.

"With large groups of people, there will be extra crime. But, we will have plenty of officers in the city centre focusing on the prevention of crime."

rebecca.gray@ eveningtimes.co.uk