C.I.D. BAFFLE TRICKSTERS

Evening Star, Issue 20320, 31 October 1929, Page 13

C.I.D. BAFFLE TRICKSTERS

ONLY EIGHT VISITORS SWINDLED International confidence tricksters operating in London have had the leanest season on record. With the holiday season ended and visitors from America, Europe, and the dominions taking their departure, Scotland Yard can boast the proud feat that only eight confidence tricks have been “worked” on visitors, who, during the months of .June, July, and August, totalled over 120.000. The curb on this form of roguery is the result of the preparedness of Scotland Yard and the plans drawn up by. the C.I.D. officers as early as February to safeguard visitors. It was achieved with the co-operation of the American, Paris, and Berlin pol'co forces, who have regularly notified Scotland Yard of the movements of known tricksters, giving indications of their future plans and their passports. Scotland Yard reciprocated in telegraphing to these • countries the movements of tricksters with criminal records in the “Yard.” Tricksters, to their astonishment, found that .on reaching England they were denied admission and sent back without as much as the forma'ity of staying a night at the port. . Similarly an intensive campaign was undertaken by the C.I.D. to supervise the tricksters already in England, with the result that gullible victims were hard to find. Off several occasions a bait had been laid and matters looked promising for tbs trickster, when suddenly he found that the victim did not keep the desired appointment. Instead a plain clothe* officer was waiting to give an abrupt warning tb the - ’ "nton.” man, ' •