Moves Check Fraud

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31343, 13 April 1967, Page 3

Moves Check Fraud

(NZ. Frees AssoetaMon) WELLINGTON, April 12. Anti-fraad measures taken by banks and business orgini rations in the last two years had resulted in a significant decrease in the number of fraudulent cheque offences in New Zealand, the head of the Police Crime Prevention Section, Detective SeniorSergeant R. L. Butler, said today. He said a warning system to alert banks and business houses of the current activi-

ties of cheque offenders had proved very satisfactory. Besides protecting firms from losses through frauds, the system had also led, in quite a few cases, to the apprehension of offenders. Detective Senior Sergeant Butler said that in the last two years, the number of

fraudulent cheque offences recorded in New Zealand had dropped by 426.

Before 1964, the number of cheque offences wm increasing at the rate of more than 500 a year. In 1961 there were 2616 reported to the police. By 1964 the total had risen to 4343.

Police, bankers and businessmen drew up special precautionary measures in 1965 and in that year the number of offences dropped for the first time, by 185. Last year the total decreased a further 241.

Detective Senior Sergeant Butler said today that with the initial success of measures taken, many businessmen might feel a tendency to relax their precautions. He warned that continued security was necessary to keep ahead of the criminal.