Motorway bandits con Good Samaritans

GANGS of Eastern Europeans are ambushing motorists on motorways and conning money out of them.

The fraudsters, wearing suits and appearing distressed, flag down their victims and claim to have run out of fuel and cash.

Sometimes they claim a relative has died and they desperately need money to get home quickly. The conmen even offer gold rings as surety – but these are worthless fakes.

Thames Valley Police are investigating at least 26 scams on the M25, M4, M40 and trunk roads over five days. They said the conmen often park in dangerous positions, forcing their victims to pull over.

Pauline Siddons, 52, from Yarnton in Oxfordshire who was tricked out of £70 on the A34 in Oxford last month, said: ‘This man jumped out at me waving his arms. I thought he had crashed or someone was injured so I pulled over.

‘He told me he needed to get back to his family in Germany and that he had just been to the BP garage but his debit card was not working in Britain.’

The conman gave her a gold ring as ‘insurance’ for the £70 but it was worthless. ‘I was really angry,’ said Miss Siddons.

‘It got to me that he had played on my generosity. I’ve since been contacted by another motorist who handed £200 to this fraudster.’

AA spokesman Luke Bosdet said: ‘This has been happening in Europe and it is very worrying to see it happening here.’