Four of the bills have been handed in to detectives in the last three weeks -- the latest one yesterday.

The most recent example was handed in by the Bank of Bermuda, said Police spokeswoman Sgt.

Roseanda Jones.

Eight of the fakes had been spotted so far this year, she said.

"This is most unusual because most counterfeit notes that come to the Island usually circulate in the summer. This seems to suggest that the person or persons responsible may still be on the Island.'' Sgt. Jones said there were several clues that the bills were fake.

The paper is soft and of very poor quality.

A genuine bill has very fine red and blue fibres in the paper, which can be pulled away. The fakes do not have real fibres -- only photocopied images.

On the face-side of a $100 bill, on the left, there is a seal containing the name of a bank. Seven of the fakes have been marked "Bank of Richmond'', and one "Bank of Boston''.

Also on the face-side, on the right, there is another seal merged with the figure 100. On a real bill, the stripe on the seal shows 13 distinct stars. On the fakes, the stars appear as white spots.

Each fake received by Police has had a different serial number under the left-hand seal, said Sgt. Jones.

TEEN ASSAULTED CRM A 15-year-old Sandys youth suffered a fractured finger and bruises to his back, arms and legs, after he was allegedly beaten with walking canes by two of his neighbours, aged 12 and 13, near Woodlawn Road in Sandys.

The youth had to be taken to the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for treatment. Police are currently investigating the attack which occurred just before 2.00 p.m.

INDEPENDENCE TALK IND Two community clubs are putting on a forum tomorrow night in an effort to educate the public about what Independence could mean for Bermuda.

The forum, "Knowing a Little More About Independence,'' takes place at 7.30 p.m. at the Harrington Workmen's Club hall.

It is being organised by Harrington Workmen's Club and Cleveland County Cricket Club management. Speakers will include school principal Mr. Dale Butler, lawyer Mr. Trevor Moniz and UBP member and businessman Mr. Khalid Wasi, better known as Mr. Raymond Davis.

CASH STOLEN CRM Thieves escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash after they broke into a Pembroke laundromat sometime between Saturday and Sunday morning.

This was the second such break-in at the property, the first having occurred six weeks ago. At that time thieves made off with a larger sum of cash.

Though a 33-year-old Sandys Parish man was arrested and is on bail awaiting trial for the first break-in, no one has so far been arrested for the more recent incident.

But Police say they are not ruling out the possibility of the two incidents being related.

FOLK DATES CLB The Bermuda Folk Club's busy spring programme begins on Saturday evening with Mike Cobb entertaining.

The show begins at 8.15 p.m. at the Old Colony Club and signals the start of a number of events scheduled through April, May and June.

On May 7 Andy Barrett will perform, a Spring Ceilidh is slated for the Mariners' Club on May 21 and a beach barbecue will be held on May 24.

The barbecue is a joint venture between the Folk Club and the Bermuda Canoe Association at Chaplin Bay. It will include a volleyball competition and begins at 11 a.m.

On June 4, veteran local folk performer Chris Broadhurst takes the stage for a concert which was originally scheduled earlier this month but postponed.