Sussex Police investigating Hailsham High Street gold fraud

The alleged scam-artist was caught on camera swapping valuable gold pendants he had verified as worth hundreds with “two lumps of brass” before pocketing the money and keeping the necklaces.

The CCTV footage comes two months after the same man is believed to have targeted Ashley Adams Jewellers in Hailsham, where the store owner was tricked out of £1,100 using the same scheme.

The shop owner, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I noticed almost immediately once I’d walked into the back office as the little gauze bag was tied very tightly, too tightly.

If you use an ad blocker, please disable it to view the below video

“The next day I had an email from Safergems, which is a crime initiative in the jewellery industry, to say he had struck elsewhere. If I’d only had that email the day before it might have been a different outcome.

“I hate looking back at the footage as it's so obvious what happens and how he does it. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.”

The jewellery store owner said a man went into her shop on April 11 shortly before 3pm and offered her two pharaoh head pendants which she confirmed were 18 carat gold.

She agreed to buy them for £1,100 – but as the man handed them over he swapped the bags with sleight of hand to give her two lumps of brass.

A Sussex Police spokesman said they were called to a report of fraud at the jewellers in Hailsham High Street and are investigating the incident.

He said: “Witnesses or anyone with any information or footage is asked to contact police online or call 101 quoting serial 763 of 11/04.”

The incident comes after a person believed to be the same man was caught on camera tricking a jeweller in Stoke out of £1,700 using a similar technique.

Paul Wood, who owns the business in Stoke, said a scammer “pulled the wool over my eyes” by giving him a “bag of tat” after promising him nine carat gold.

Staffordshire Police are also investigating the Stoke incident.