Seven arrested on suspicion of attempting to sell fake gold rings in Shropshire

Motorists are warned to be vigilant to people trying to flag them down and get them to hand over cash for goods.

Patrols were called to a lay-by on the A41, near the junction for the M54, at about 11.15am on Thursday after an off-duty police officer reported men trying to flag him down.

When officers arrived, they searched a silver Mercedes E Class saloon and recovered various gold coloured rings, believed to be cheap costume jewellery.

Three men from the car were arrested on suspicion of going equipped to commit fraud and remain in custody at Malinsgate Police Station at this time.

In another incident on the same day, officers were called by a member of the public who spotted a man also attempting to flag down cars on the A458 near Ford, just after 2pm.

Three men and one woman were arrested on suspicion of going equipped to commit fraud, after several gold-coloured rings were found in their blue Volkswagen Golf. At this time, all four remain in custody at Shrewsbury Police Station.

Like in the A41 incident, the rings are believed to be cheap costume jewellery and the Volkswagen has been seized by police.

Previous incidents in Shropshire have seen drivers conned into buying cheap rings and necklaces, believing they were real gold, when flagged down by fraudsters who claimed they needed money for fuel. Offenders often also suggested they had a family emergency to convince victims to hand over their money, believing they were helping out someone in need.

No money is believed to have been handed over in the two recent incidents.

Sergeant Chris Haslam, who attended the incident, urged motorists never to stop for people at the roadside.

“There have been several reports in recent months of these apparent scams taking place in Shropshire and I urge people to be on their guard and not be taken in,” he said.