Fraud raid at town's post office

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A post office in South Lanarkshire has been raided by police as part of a fraud investigation.

The office in Leonard Street, Lanark, has been closed following a joint operation by Strathclyde Police and the Post Office Fraud Department.

The raid was carried out on Wednesday morning. A police spokeswoman said no arrests had taken place.

Customers with any concerns in relation to transactions involving the branch have been asked to contact police.

They can call Lanark Police office on 01555 552400 or contact Post Office Customer Services on 0845 7223344.

Lanark resident Ed Archer, 61, told the BBC Scotland news website the closure of the post office, while the police investigation was being carried out, was a "major blow" for the local community.

He said: "This is the only proper post office we have left in Lanark due to the closure of other branches in recent years.

"It handles things like pensions and for a lot of older people who don't have transport this is really a catastrophe."

Mr Archer said several people in the community had raised concerns in recent months about packages they had posted at that branch.

"There seem to have been some irregularities," he said.

"On a number of occasions people have paid the postage on their letters or parcels but then had the items returned with a note to say the correct stamps had not been used."

A spokeswoman for Post Office Ltd said: "Post Office Ltd will do everything in its power to reinstate access to services for customers as quickly as possible.

"The Lanark Post Office branch closed due to circumstances beyond the control of Post Office Ltd.

"A joint investigation is currently being carried out by Strathclyde Police and Post Office Ltd in connection with this branch. "

Customers were advised to use the nearest alternative branches in Carstairs, Crossford and Carluke.