Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Stolen to order for Christmas
Gumtree robbery was trick seen across country
THIEVES enter a dad’s house on the pretence of buying a PlayStation 5 – then flee with the £500 console in a terrifying ordeal.
Shaken Luke Anderson, 37, is the latest victim of a scam in which crooks offer to buy goods advertised online.
They arrange a pick-up, but have no intention of paying. In some cases victims have been sprayed with acid, throttled or held at knifepoint.
Phones, tech equipment and jewellery are often targets in what experts fear is a festive “steal to order” surge.
Luke was at least spared violence – though he says cronies of the thieves were waiting outside his house.
The PS5 is in huge demand and has been since its launch last autumn.
Luke, who works in marketing, bought a console for £450 on Amazon this month, in case his family wanted to give it as a Christmas present.
There were no takers so he put it up for sale on Gumtree, at £500.
Home surveillance cameras filmed the raiders. Luke, of Hounslow, West London, said: “One guy asked if he could come to my house. But then he called and asked to meet in a car park by a pub. I thought, ‘Sounds dodgy’. I said, ‘No, you have my address’. I answered the door and one person came in. Then a second man, who wasn’t invited, came in. The first man picked up the product and put it back down.
“Then, the second grabbed it and ran out. They ran out the house and I ran out, trying to catch them.
DISTURBING
“I had some builders in the house who ran out with me. I noticed there were more people outside.
“I’m a big guy but I did stop and think, ‘It’s not worth it. They could have acid or knives, and it’s a PS5’. If it had been an old lady, it could have been terrible. It’s disgusting.
“My insurers won’t allow me to make a claim because they said I invited the man in and didn’t ask him to leave.” Police are investigating the raid. Ex-government fraud adviser Andy Knight warns Christmas will “exacerbate” a growing problem of scam raids.
He said: “Demand for these goods and the value they can command is likely to attract organised criminals.”
Ex-Scotland Yard detective Peter Bleksley wants online sites to insist on proof of identity for users.
He said: “There is always a risk when you are selling to a complete stranger.”
The Sunday Mirror identified 60 robberies linked to Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace in the last five years.
But the true figure is believed to be much higher. Both organisations told us they give safety tips online.
Gumtree said: “We are appalled to hear of this. We urge anyone who encounters suspicious or criminal behaviour to contact the police and to report it to us immediately through the ‘Report’ button listed next to all ads.”
Facebook owner Meta said: “We encourage users to never meet up with a purchaser alone – always take a friend and meet in a well-lit place.”
One of them grabbed it and ran out. I ran out... they could have had knives LUKE ANDERSON THE LATEST VICTIM OF FAKE BUYER SCAM