Merthyr: Thief switches £6k gold chain for 'worthless trinkets'

The thief switched real gold for worthless costume-like jewellery

A thief switched valuable gold necklaces worth £6,000 for a bag of worthless fakes.

The man said he wanted to sell six gold chains to a jewellers in Merthyr Tydfil but swapped the 18-carat originals for costume jewellery in the exchange.

Shop owner Tony Peach, 86, is offering a £10,000 reward for help identifying the conman.

He said: "He was filmed switching the gold, it was sleight of hand but I shouldn't have been taken in."

The trickster removed six gold chains from around his neck to sell inside Jane Allen Jewellers shop on Merthyr's High Street.

Staff tested the jewellery in the workshop and offered him £6,000 for the 18-carat gold chains.

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Mr Peach said: "He turned it down saying he'd have to ask his mother and we handed the chains back.

"But he changed his mind so we gave him the £6,000 and he handed over the chains inside a gauze bag.

"Minutes after he'd gone I looked inside the bag and knew straight away he'd switched the chains for worthless trinkets weighing about the same."

'Bold as brass'

A jeweller for 70 years, Mr Peach now wants other gold dealers to be on the look-out for the man.

He said: "I'm sure he's done this before and he will do it again unless he's stopped.

"He came in as bold as brass and must have been aware we have security cameras everywhere."

He added: "My revenge will be to get him caught and prevent this from happening to anyone else."

South Wales Police said it was investigating the theft.

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