Jewellers' warning over fake rings sold in street (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Jewellers' warning over fake rings sold in street

7:00am Monday 4th March 2013 in Local By Cadisha Brown

PEOPLE in Wyre Forest are being duped into shelling out cash for fake jewellery believing they are getting real gold, it has been claimed.

Kidderminster jeweller Annabella Harvey-Lawrence told The Shuttlepeople werebeing conned into buying wedding bands and signet rings from foreign men and women, who approached theminthe street.

She said gangs were targeting people by feeding them sob stories so they handed over cash for the jewellery, adding she had seen a huge influx of customers tryingtosellthe fake items inher shop, Harvey’s theJewellers.

She is now warning people to watch out for fake gold in the area.

“These gangs are hanging outside supermarkets and there are a lot of women involved,” said Mrs Harvey-Lawrence.

“Peopleneedtolookoutfor wedding bands and signet rings.

They have got 18ct gold hallmarks on them but they’re just brass.

“Some people are handing over £20 for them and think they are getting a bargain but they are not. They look gold and have got a good weight to them. They are always gents’ rings.”

She added the rings all had the same “distinctive” look and had two individual hallmarks underneath.

“If it seems too good to be true - it is,” Mrs Harvey-Lawrence warned. “If someone’s trying to sell 18ct gold in the street for £5 it’snot going tobe realbutpeople arebeing takenin.

“They feel a bit silly when I tell them it’s fake.I’m trying to warn people and make them aware because they do look the part whentheyareallpolishedupand for £5, £10, £15 they would be a bargainifthey were real.”

Police are also warning people nottohand over cashto stranded motorists after a number of people were recently conned out of money on the M5 and M42 near Bromsgrove.

PC Tony Humphreys, of West Mercia Police, said: “We are urging people to be vigilant and not to fallforhardluckstories.

“These conmen take advantage of other people’s good natures and willingness to help but we advise them not to part with any money if they are approached in thismanner.”

Three Romanian men, with addresses in the West Midlands, were arrested ina white Cavalier on the M5 on Saturday, January 26, onsuspicionoffraud.