Avon and Somerset Police are appealing for information after a series of suspected frauds involving Facebook Marketplace sales in Somerset.
The police have revealed that three transactions, all occurring in April, involved a similar method of deception. This has prompted an ongoing investigation linking the offences.
The most recent incident took place at approximately 9.30am on Friday, 24 April, in Norton Fitzwarren, Taunton. A seller arranged to meet a man following an advertisement for computer equipment on Facebook Marketplace. The buyer provided false payment information and falsely claimed the transaction had been completed. However, no money was received before the individual left with a computer graphics card, a mobile phone, and a laptop.
READ MORE: Northamptonshire dominate Somerset but Somerset’s One Day Cup hopes hang by a thread
READ MORE: ITV Racing’s Oli Bell: From Somerset Roots to Memorable Royal Encounters
Further inquiries have uncovered two similar offences carried out the previous day, one in Bath and another in the Weston-super-Mare area, using the same fraudulent method.
A 25-year-old man has already been arrested in connection with the investigation. He was interviewed and subsequently released on police bail as further investigations continue.
In a public appeal issued on Saturday, 8 August, a spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: “Following a number of enquiries, we are releasing an image of a man we wish to identify as we believe he may have information that could assist our investigation. The man is described as white, of stocky build, and aged between 20 and 25 years old.”
Members of the public who can assist with the investigation are asked to contact police by calling 101, quoting the reference number 5226112785.