CLEVER FRAUD WORKED ON CITY FIRMS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18938, 7 December 1929, Page 9

CLEVER FRAUD WORKED ON CITY FIRMS.

YOUTH ORDERS GOODS, THEN BORROWS MONEY.

An amazing series of frauds have been perpetrated on a number of implement firms in Christchurch by a young man, about eighteen years of age, who has introduced himself to them as being the son of Mr H. E. H. Richards, a prominent farmer, of Methven. The procedure adopted by the young man has been to call oil the firms, usually fairly late in the afternoon, and order implements to be sent to Mr Richards. From one firm he ordered a set of disc harrows, from another a mower and crusher, from another a drill, and from a fourth a couple of implements. , After establishing confidence with the representatives of the firms, who naturally have felt pleased at being able to make good sales, the young man has invariably told them a tale that he- is short of ready cash, and would be greatly obliged if the firms could advance him a few pounds and debit it to his father’s account. In one case the sum of £3 was handed to him, and in another instance he was given £2. Mr Richards has three sons, but the eldest is only twelve years of age. Caused Much Trouble. “This individual has been giving me a tremendous amount of trouble,” Mr Richards told a reporter to-day. “I have been trying to find out who he can be, and I have placed the matter in the hands of the police, but I don’t know who he is. “No one has had any authority to order implements or anything else on my behalf, but it appeared that this individual has gone to all the implement firms and booked up goods to me. He has represented himself as a son of mine, and has signed himself ‘11.E.,’ ‘H. A.’ and ‘H. J.’ Richards at different times. I understand that he has been successful in getting about £5 in cash given to him on the representation that he is my son.” Mr Richards said he first heard of the matter on Thursday, when one of the firms rang up to ask him where he wanted the implements that had been ordered to be delivered. He indignantly told them that he had not ordered any implements and knew nothing about the matter. Since then other firms had rung him up similarly. Failed to Get Loan. Yesterday afternoon, when the youth called on one of the firms, the salesman became a little suspicious on account of the ease with which he secured an order for a couple of implements. The youth, however, was of good appearance and appeared to have such a thorough knowledge of the Richards family that the salesman thought that everything was quite in order. After the goods had been booked up to Mr H. E. H. Richards, the young man said that he wanted to do a little shopping and would be very greatly obliged if the firm could let him have a few pounds, which could be debited to his father’s account. The salesman took £3 from the petty cash and was almost on the point of handing it over when he thought that there might be some risk about the matter, especially as Mr H. E. H. Richards did not have an account with the firm. He then suggested that the stock firm with which Mr Richards did business might oblige with an advance, and after some demurring the youth agreed that it would be worth while trying them. Suspicions Aroused. Another member of the firm offered to take the youth to the office of the stock firm. He noticed that after taking him to the office the youth did not go inside, but instead walked hurriedly away from it in the other direction. It was then that suspicions were thoroughly aroused, and on inquiries being made from Mr Richards it was found that the young man was an impostor. The police at Christchurch and Methven are now investigating the matter.