BOX OF “GEMS”

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 June 1930, Page 5

BOX OF “GEMS”

FRAUD ON JEWELLER.

LONDON, April 17. Brighton is the scene of the latest exploit of two men who are alleged to have defrauded jewellers in London and elsewhere to the extent of nearly £B,OOO. One of the men, a smartly-dressed Jew, went about a month ago to a fancy goods shop in Duke street and made the acquaintance of Mr I. Grunhaus, the proprietor. Yesterday he called again, accompanied by the second man, who was wearing the uniform of the Russian Soviet navy. They produced a cardboard box containing ,40 diamonds and offered them for sale.. Two stones were submitted to a neighbouring jeweller, who pronounced them genuine, and Mr Grunhaus then agreed to buy the entire parcel for £7OO. He obtained the money in notes from the bank, and after handing it over, saw his visitors off by the 3.35 train to Victoria. He then took the 40 stones to a jeweller, who found they were paste. Mr Grunhaus rushed to the police station, and an attempt was made through the London police to stop the

men on arrival at Victoria. There was, however, only a margin of three minutes in which to do this, and by the time the London police reached Victoria the passengers on the 3.35 had dispersed. The two men are fluent linguists. It is thought they may attempt to leave the country, and the ports are being -watched. They have in their possession two diamonds worth about £lOO each, and it is these stones that have furnished the basis for the series of alleged frauds..