Cuddly toys fraud alleged

Press, 26 November 1980, Page 10

Cuddly toys fraud alleged

PA d .. Hastings The Hastings police are investigating « an alleged fraud - in. which children throughout, .-.the North Island- sent .money \ to a Hastings post, office box number ordering big soft toys;?'.. The- toys were ...never sent and the Children did not get their money' back, one policeman said.. Detective R. Andrews said that an advertisement offering soft toys for sale appeared in many North Island newspapers during August-and September. It offered- “cuddly -toys, teddies, Snbopys and Pink Panthers” in three sizes, at prices from $l2 to .- People were invited to, send ■ money to “John .Winter, P.O. Box 650, Hastings.” People who sent money

complained to the police that they had never received their orders. Detective Andrews said that .the name, John Winter, was fictitious and when he opened the Post Office • box there were about -20 letters of complaint Since then another 10 had arrived. “This is probably only the tip of the iceberg,”, he said. A Napier man was under suspicion, but the police would still like to hear from anyone who sent money to the box number. Cheques could be traced "and compensation settled, he said. He asked people who. had ordered toys to approach their local police station. Complaints had been received from as far away as Auckland.