Police warn drivers to be extra vigiliant when assisting broken down motorists (From The Westmorland Gazette)
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Police warn drivers to be extra vigiliant when assisting broken down motorists
3:34pm Friday 22nd June 2012 in News
Police are urging motorists to be ‘extra vigilant’ when stopping to assist broken-down motorists.
The warning comes after an incident on June 19, on the southbound slip road of M6 junction 36, near Kendal.
A man with short grey hair flagged down drivers, saying his black Mercedes Benz car, which had a foreign number plate, had broken down.
He also said he needed money, but then tried to sell worthless jewellery to those who stopped, in exchange for money.
Cumbria police advise people to contact them if they are concerned about any stranded motorists.
Garsdale says...
7:53am Sat 23 Jun 12
He and another asian bloke were both driving elderly Mercedes cars and had their wives with them. They were very convincing regarding their plight of running short of fuel.
One bloke gave me his name and address and handed me a pile of authentic looking gold jewellery and begged me for cash, pupportedly for petrol to travel back to London.
I nearly relented but decided that I would firstly photograph the men and their vehicles. One of the wives then lept from the car with news that her son had just arranged a Western Union transfer and my help was no longer needed.
I later learned via Google that it's a common scam down south, and usually connects to motorway sliproads.