“SLIM” TRICK.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 25 June 1927, Page 5

“SLIM” TRICK.

TRADESPEOPLE DEFRAUDED. CHEQUES WITHOUT VALUE. CHRISTCHURCH, June 14. Several tradespeople in Sydenham are bewailing the fact that they have recently parted wt-ih various sums in hard cash in Veturn for valueless cheques. One instance, which occurred in the case of a grocer, was an exceptionally clever form of trap. Two men entered the shop. One, who appeared to 'be a labouring type, went to one end of the counter and made a small cash purchase. The other was a, well-dressed stranger; he made some purchases at the far end of the counter and tendered in payment a cheque for £5 on which was the signature “Owen Moore.” The assistant-, who was not entitled to take cheques in such circumstances, referred the cheque to the proprietor, mentioning the name of the alleged drawer. -The labouring man then entered into the affair. “Owen Moore.” do you say?” he remarked. “I wish I bad his money; I used to work for him.” That statement removed any doubts, and the cheque was' cashed, substantia] change being given; but, as events have shown, the name of the alleged drawer of the cheque is not known at the bank.

In another instance the man approached and chatted for half an hour with a storekeeper. He said he was short of cash, but had a cheque for £5 from his employer, “Owen Moore. ’’ He asked if the storekeeper could advance £2 to enable him to go to the city; as security he would leave the cheque and call back for the balance of the change. He suggested that if the storekeeper doubted his cheque he could ring up the man whose signature purported to lie thereon. The st-ore-keeper did not attempt to do this. There is no “Owen Moore” on the telephone list, as it turns out. but he left- to see if be could verify the cheque elsewhere. The. stranger waited for him. and while lie was thus engaged he chatted with a policeman on the footpath. When the storekeeper returned lie paid the stranger £2. although lie had been unable- to verify the cheque. He is still waiting for the stranger to return, and lie hos the 'hemic, on which the hank has inscribed “no account.” Neither he nor the police have been able to discover anv “Owen Moore.”