The amount of forged money in circulation has shot up -- with $10,000 already handed in to Police this year compared with $13,000 by mid-November last year.

The news comes after a forger who passed off two $100 notes was given a six-month suspended sentence despite Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner describing it as a crime which struck at the heart of the economy.

A Police spokesman said he was unsure of why there had been an upsurge in forged bills but warned the public to be on their guard as they would not be reimbursed if they accepted fake notes.

He said: "You should check them immediately.'' The one fail-safe way of spotting a counterfeit bill was the lack of a tuna watermark, he added.

"It's like our slogan says `look up or lose out'.

"Our officers in commercial crime are kept very busy. A lot of fake bills are passed off at weekends and turn up in bank deposits on Monday and Tuesday.'' Last year the Bermuda Monetary Authority revealed criminals were using computer copying and scanning equipment to produce fake cash.

Yesterday 20-year-old Craig Sinclair Henderson, of Mary Victoria Road, Devonshire, escaped a custodial sentence after admitting forging and passing off two $100 bills in March last year -- one at Serpentine Liquors and one at The Shopping Centre.

His lawyer Patricia Harvey-Burch urged Mr. Warner to impose a fine and an order to pay back the cash.

She said Henderson's employer had described him in glowing terms and called him the most promising employee he had seen for quite a while.

Police warn of fake bills Ms. Harvey-Burch said her client had made a frank confession, had helped Police with their enquiries and was suffering from depression at the time.

However Mr. Warner countered: "How can you say that it was out of character when the offence can be classified as systematic?'' Ms. Harvey said: "He was depressed. I could not rule that out.

"It was a first time offence. He is not likely to reoffend. I ask that you give him the benefit of the doubt.'' Mr. Warner pointed out that sentences also had to deter other people and that it was important people did not see the Court as an easy touch.

Henderson himself apologised to the Court and asked for a second chance.

Mr. Warner said he took into account Henderson's plea as well as the pleadings of his employer and lawyer plus the findings in a social inquiry report.

He said: "This offence is very serious and strikes at the economy in this Country if it is allowed to get out of hand and as such this offence should be deterred at an early stage.

"This is a type of offence which should normally be met by an immediate custodial sentence.'' Mr. Warner said he took into account the mitigating factors and said he would suspend a six-month sentence for 12 months after Henderson pleaded guilty to two counts of forgery, two counts of fraudulently uttering a false document and two counts of intent to fraud.

Henderson also pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention at The Lover's Lane/Rural Hill junction on October 7 last year for which Mr. Warner fined him $250 and for speeding at 63 kilometres per hour at Kindley Field Road in St. Georg'se on December 31 which landed him a $300 fine.