watch out for counterfeit money.

Police spokeswoman Evelyn James Barnett said counterfeiters have passed 2,500 counterfeit $100 bills since December 13.

She explained that the busy holiday season gave counterfeiters the opportunity to pass bills successfully in many cases.

Commercial crime officers have advised businesses that if they were in doubt, they should check the suspect bill against a real bill and take note of the person passing the bill.

Mrs. James Barnett said the commercial crime officers were following several leads in counterfeit investigation and would like to remind the public that manufacturing counterfeit money or knowingly passing it on is a criminal offence.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Insp. David Carr at the Commercial Crime Unit on 299-4330 or the Crimestoppers hotline on 1-800-623-8477.

ROBERTSON'S CLOSES EAT Robertson's closes A venerable St. George's coffee shop was due to close its doors after nearly 20 years of operation.

Owner Edith Rothwell confirmed that Robertson's Coffee Shop on historic Water Street has brewed its last pot of coffee and was to cease operations on New Year's Eve.

Five waitresses, many of them elderly, have been left unemployed by the move.

"It's really a lack of trade that's the reason,'' Mrs. Rothwell last night told The Royal Gazette . "It's rather difficult to operate it with the cruise ships gone. There's virtually no trade in the afternoons.'' The coffee shop was an eclectic mix of no frills service and nostalgia. In addition to serving breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea, the shop dispensed magazines, cards, and some grocery supplies.

"I didn't know people liked it so much; I'd heard so many complaints from customers about the waitresses,'' said Mrs. Rothwell.

BACKLOG BEING CLEARED GVT Backlog being cleared Post Office staff have virtually cleared a backlog of mail caused when letters got stuck in the US.

Just before Christmas, the Bermuda Post Office said mail was waiting to be moved from Atlanta and New York's John F. Kennedy Airport.

One reason was the reduction in the number of American Airlines flights meaning mail had to be trucked to Boston to be taken to the Island by Delta Air Lines.

Yesterday Derek Dillas, assistant Postmaster General at the Airport, said staff are now dealing with mail dated December 29 and 29 and had almost cleared the backlog.

WOMAN REMANDED CTS Woman remanded A 19-year-old Pembroke woman yesterday appeared for mention in Magistrates' Court in connection with charges she imported $178,750 worth of crack and powdered cocaine and cannabis.

Originally released on $10,000 bail with a like surety, Erin Lois Renee Osmond has been unable to satisfy her bail conditions and remains in custody.

On November 28 Osmond is alleged to have imported 458 grams of 78 percent pure crack cocaine, 60.6 grams of cocaine powder, and a quantity of marijuana and drug equipment.

SUSPECT STILL AT LARGE MUR BDA Suspect still at large The man suspected of gunning down Bermudian student Charles (Lyndon) Fubler in Augusta remains on the run -- more than a year after the shooting.

Mark Lorenzo Squires faces charges of aggravated assault, burglary and possession of a weapon.

The shooting occurred on November 13, 1995, at Sheila Kitchens' home in Pheasant Drive, Richmond County, Augusta.

Augusta College student Mr. Fubler, then 24, was shot in the head by Squires, who is thought to be a member of notorious Los Angeles gang, the Crips.

He was treated at the Medical College of Georgia, but has since been discharged and undergone extensive therapy.

Also hurt in the shooting were 20-year-old Ms Kitchens, who has been paralysed, and her 12-year-old brother, George.

A Richmond County Sheriff's Department spokesman yesterday said: "Squires remains at large.''