Auction rip-off

September 1993

A GROUP of con artists cheated local people out of their money when they hit Wicklow town last week.

Bargain hunters who flocked to a local hotel in large numbers for a one-off sale were duped into buying inferior good at inflated prices.

The sale, billed as an ‘electrical wholesale display’, was advertised in a local leaflet drop to homes all over Wicklow but few of the special purchases promised were available on the day.

And many of the goods which went on sale, including grandfather clocks and audio and visual equipment, turned out to be over-priced and faulty.

One man said he was furious after buying a camera for £60 which was barely worth £40. To add to his troubles he found that the camera didn’t have a flash and he had to purchase one for an additional £20.

Other buyers have also criticised the sale and maintain that they were ripped off with over-priced items, many of which turned out to be faulty.

A man’s name and an Athlone telephone number were left at the hotel with the booking but repeated calls to the number failed to get a reply.