A CONMAN got away with cash from shops in Clows Top and Bewdley using a checkout scam.

Staff on the tills were tricked into handing over more change than necessary to the offender during the late morning and early afternoon on Wednesday, May 28.

The con involved buying low-value items with a £20 note and then asking for cash to be broken down into smaller denominations, before claiming to have been short-changed.

Police believe the man involved in both cases was white, aged between 40 and 50, tall and wearing a blue hooded, tracksuit top and tracksuit bottoms.

Ben Poppleton, a police community support officer for West Mercia Police, said: “We are trying to identify who this man is and in the meantime we are warning stores and other businesses to be on their guard.

“If someone tries to pay for small items with a large bank note, then says that they have the correct change or want other money changed traders need to be very wary and double check the transaction before continuing.”

The police, who have not released details of the stores involved, hope CCTV footage will assist investigations.

Anyone with information should call Stourport Police Station on 101, quoting incident 238-S-280514, or, alternatively, call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.