Beware of new people at training

[VPCTFC]

Just spotted this on the Nomad forum so thought it best to pass it on in case it's tried in our area. I know some these supposed warnings are fake themselves, like the well known hoax about people hiding in cars at Fleet Services to kidnap the drivers, but this one seems genuine.

 

http://www.nomad-for....php?f=1&t=9870

 

 

Good evening,

 

My name is Henry Willard and I am Manager and Secretary of Potters Football Club of the Sevenoaks & District Football League, affiliated with the Kent FA.

I am circulating this email across the South-East as a warning of a severe car theft scam that our club and one of our players was unfortunately a victim of this week:

 

A player going by the name of Chris or Lee Johnson, came to our club for a trial recently, participated in three training sessions, and upon leaving early at the end of the third session, left with two phones, two wallet’s together with credit cards and driving licenses, two sets of house keys, car keys to a black BMW 1 Series, and the BMW itself.

 

Please may you take the time to read a detailed report below, and then circulate to your associated teams, players, staff, supporters, all other relevant parties, and for league representatives, you may want to circulate a newsletter or post this warning on your league website to warn others of this sickening scam:

 

 

As Manager of Potters Football Club, I placed a few internet based ‘Players Wanted’ adverts online this Summer to recruit new players ahead of the new season, as I do every pre-season, and on Wednesday 13th July I received a call from mobile number 07792 012345 from a guy who called himself Chris Johnson, who said he was looking to train with a new team this pre-season.

He stated he was a striker/winger, very quick, and his top attribute was his passing. He said he was 30yrs old, lived in the Medway area, used to play semi-pro but had been out of football for a few years after starting a family with his wife and two kids (one a little girl).

He stated his past clubs included Gillingham YTS, Whyteleafe, Corinthian Casuals, and Horsham amongst others.

He was keen to come along to train with us having found my contact/club details following a Google search. I invited him along to train with us, and he came along to our training session that Wednesday evening in Wrotham, nr Sevenoaks, Kent.

He arrived 5mins late in his own clothes, so needed to get changed into football kit, and did so before we got started. We do not having changing facilities at our training pitch, so all bags, clothes, keys etc are either left in cars or in a pile in the field, right next to where we train.

He certainly didn’t look like he had the talent of a semi-pro footballer, in fact looked very average. He would probably struggle to cut it in the Sevenoaks Premier Division. Either way, he got involved in the banter and seemed very lively throughout, and at the end of the session we believe he got picked up. We believe he got a lift in a dark grey caddy van.

 

Description wise, he is approximately 5’8, black/mixed race, thin build, very short black hair, clean shaven, facially looks around 27yrs old max.

 

He came along to our next training session on Saturday 16th July at 11am, how he arrived we do not know, but he said he had to leave early at 12.30pm because he was playing in a charity match in Canvey Island vs a celebrity XI side that afternoon. We are unable to confirm if he took part in this game. He claimed he had booked a taxi to pick him up from our training pitch to take him to Canvey Island at 12.30pm, but the cab didn’t show up. I therefore drove him to Borough Green train/taxi station and he went on his way. Whether he got a taxi or train from there, we do not know, but I have since checked with both taxi companies on site, and neither have records of his booking or trip at that time. We are waiting to check the train station CCTV.

 

On Wednesday 20th July, ‘Chris Johnson’ arrived late again for his third training session with us. Dressed in suit trousers, shirt & tie, he once again got changed into his football gear, although claimed to have the flu, but wanted to show willing anyway.

He put in a pathetic, embarrassing and effortless performance in training, and pulled out just after 9pm, approximately 15mins before the end of the session. He claimed he wasn’t feeling well, and was going to shoot off, heading home by train.

We shook hands before he set off, said he’d come to the next training session on Saturday 23rd July, and he wandered off towards the car park, which leads to the main road. The car park at Potters Mede where we train is mostly hidden from view from the pitch.

 

Fifteen minutes later when the rest of us had finished the session, warmed down and started to gather our belongings to head home, one of my players whose name I shall keep anonymous, asked me for his car keys. My player had asked me to put his keys in my gym bag for the duration of the session, which were notably put in with my own keys and wallet.

 

When my player asked for his car keys at the end of the session, I could not find them. We searched the area extensively in case they had fallen out anywhere, but they were missing. A minute or two later, the rest of my players in the car park shouted over that our player’s black BMW 1 Series had gone. The car had been stolen.

 

Our bags, keys and belongings were approximately 5-10 metres away from the area we were training, and the only other person who had been near the pitch that evening was a local woman walking her dog. ‘Chris Johnson’ had sat down besides the bags alone to get changed after he’d pulled out of the training session early.

Although we did not see this man behind the wheel of the car, all the signs of the car theft point to him. We tried to call his mobile number after the incident – Straight to voicemail. The police were also called straight away, but only took the car registration (WJ05 XHR) and said they’d keep an eye out. No word as yet.

My player (the car owner) and another one of my lads who got a lift down in the same car, both had their phones, wallet’s, cards, house keys, and driving licenses in the car, along with other miscellaneous personal possessions.

 

It has been brought to our attention that ‘Chris Johnson’ has also been in contact with another Sevenoaks & District Premier Division club recently who also advertise for players online, and he was invited along to their training session on Saturday 16th July, but didn’t show, as obviously he was at our session. He contacted this other club using the same number, same surname of Johnson, but a different first name of ‘Lee’.

It has also been brought to my attention that despite telling me he was from the Medway area, he told some of my lads he was from Bromley, and others Orpington.

 

We have no doubts this was a thoroughly planned scam, and our club has been rocked by this incident. We have been completely betrayed, and left angry and sickened by the events that have unfolded.

 

We wouldn’t wish what has happened at our club, on any other team, and would like you to please circulate this message amongst your players, staff, supporters, associated clubs and teams, and any other relevant parties to make as many people as possible in the South-East of England, aware of this scam, to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

 

As much as we would like to take other measures of punishment, we would love nothing more than to catch this man in the act next time, and bring him to justice. It is a long shot, but after what has happened here at Potters Football Club, we are now doing everything we can to track this man down.

 

If you are contacted by a player who matches this description and gives you a similar story, we would like to request that you act completely normal at first, invite him along for a trial, then contact myself straight away. We have a Police incident number, and as stated above, we would like to catch this guy in the act to bring him down.

 

If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. my mobile is always on, and I also pick up my emails regularly throughout the day and evening.

 

I hope you all enjoy a successful footballing season.

 

Best regards,

 

Henry Willard

Manager

Potters Football Clu

M. 07843 183666

H. 01732 883137

E. henrybnl@btinternet.com

Edited July 24, 2011 by VPCTFC