Oceanside RCMP are warning the public about scammers selling fake jewellery after recent incidents in Parksville and Nanaimo.
Police investigated two incidents in Parksville on June 6 where a man driving a black Audi SUV stopped pedestrians to ask for directions.
“During the conversations, the man and his female passenger handed jewellery to the pedestrians in a ruse to either sell them the jewellery or steal the jewellery they were already wearing. In both instances, the people refused the offers and the vehicle sped away,” police said.
A similar approach was used in Nanaimo, where police said a gold necklace was stolen from a victim. In that case, the suspect allegedly placed a necklace on the victim while removing a real gold necklace at the same time.
“The man and the woman are both described as East Indian or Syrian and heavy set,” police said. “In these scams, the fraudsters approach people claiming a family emergency and that they have run out of money or that they are lost and are seeking directions. They offer jewellery at a deep discount or try to place jewellery on you or give a hug as a gesture of thanks. The jewellery they are selling is always fake with no value or through expert sleight of hand they steal your real jewellery and simultaneously give you a worthless fake.”
