Fraudsters escape with cash after fake gold con caught on CCTV
- 2 days ago
CCTV shows the moment a pair of smartly-dressed fraudsters escaped with cash after conning a pawnbroker with an audacious fake gold swap.
Paul Wood, 58, was left devastated after being tricked into buying fake bullion bars by a man and a woman who came into his shop last Thursday morning (20/6).
The pair, believed to be Eastern European, said they wanted to sell some 9-carat gold, which Paul handled and weighed before agreeing to pay them £1,765.
Security footage shows how the man used sleight of hand and managed to switch the bag of real gold for fake gold right under the nose of unsuspecting Paul.
The couple then fled the scene with the money from Church Street Gold Pottery and Furniture, in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs.
Paul said he dialled 999 and reported the matter to police but was left stunned to be told it would be SIX WEEKS before an officer could attend.
He has now slammed Staffordshire Police's response and believes the daring crooks could strike again elsewhere due to their lack of action.
The force has confirmed they are now hunting the pair and urged any witnesses to get in touch.
Paul, 58, from Stoke-on-Trent, said: "It was last Thursday and this man and woman came in to say they wanted to sell some gold.
"They were Eastern European I think and well presented and smartly dressed and they seemed genuine enough.
"They handed over this gold which I weighed and checked as I normally would and we agreed on a price of £1,765 after confirming it was 9-carat gold.
"He had the gold in this blue velvet bag and he kept on trying to put it back in there while I was trying to weigh it and I had to keep telling him 'I don't want your bag'.
"And this back and forth kept on as he kept on putting the gold back in the bag and he was just trying to bamboozle me.
"They then said they had some more gold, but I looked at that too and thought it didn't look right, so I said I wouldn't be buying it.
"Then they’ve somehow swapped the bag of real gold for the bag of the tat, which he had tied up really tightly.
"I knew something was strange when he threw the bag behind the counter but when he made his way to the front door, they wanted to look at something else in the window.
"They were engaging in conversation and just kept me talking.
"In the back of mind I'm thinking they would have done a runner by now if they weren't genuine but I still need to go back and double check that bag.
"But then they did bolt off quite suddenly. I ran straight back to the bag and had to cut it open with a knife because he had tied it so tightly.
"All this fake gold came pouring out of the bag so I legged it out of the shop and down the street - but they were long gone. A car must have been waiting.
"Looking back I felt quite silly as I'm usually so careful. But they were in the shop for about 20 minutes and I never took my eyes off him.
Paul Wood, 58, was left devastated after being tricked into buying fake bullion bars by a man and a woman who came into his shop last Thursday morning (20/6).
The pair, believed to be Eastern European, said they wanted to sell some 9-carat gold, which Paul handled and weighed before agreeing to pay them £1,765.
Security footage shows how the man used sleight of hand and managed to switch the bag of real gold for fake gold right under the nose of unsuspecting Paul.
The couple then fled the scene with the money from Church Street Gold Pottery and Furniture, in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs.
Paul said he dialled 999 and reported the matter to police but was left stunned to be told it would be SIX WEEKS before an officer could attend.
He has now slammed Staffordshire Police's response and believes the daring crooks could strike again elsewhere due to their lack of action.
The force has confirmed they are now hunting the pair and urged any witnesses to get in touch.
Paul, 58, from Stoke-on-Trent, said: "It was last Thursday and this man and woman came in to say they wanted to sell some gold.
"They were Eastern European I think and well presented and smartly dressed and they seemed genuine enough.
"They handed over this gold which I weighed and checked as I normally would and we agreed on a price of £1,765 after confirming it was 9-carat gold.
"He had the gold in this blue velvet bag and he kept on trying to put it back in there while I was trying to weigh it and I had to keep telling him 'I don't want your bag'.
"And this back and forth kept on as he kept on putting the gold back in the bag and he was just trying to bamboozle me.
"They then said they had some more gold, but I looked at that too and thought it didn't look right, so I said I wouldn't be buying it.
"Then they’ve somehow swapped the bag of real gold for the bag of the tat, which he had tied up really tightly.
"I knew something was strange when he threw the bag behind the counter but when he made his way to the front door, they wanted to look at something else in the window.
"They were engaging in conversation and just kept me talking.
"In the back of mind I'm thinking they would have done a runner by now if they weren't genuine but I still need to go back and double check that bag.
"But then they did bolt off quite suddenly. I ran straight back to the bag and had to cut it open with a knife because he had tied it so tightly.
"All this fake gold came pouring out of the bag so I legged it out of the shop and down the street - but they were long gone. A car must have been waiting.
"Looking back I felt quite silly as I'm usually so careful. But they were in the shop for about 20 minutes and I never took my eyes off him.