Police seek Gatwick con man

30.07.10

Detectives at Gatwick have named a man they want to question in connection with a series of confidence tricks on passengers. Neil Rodgers, 41, believed to be from Middlesbrough, is wanted in connection with 7 frauds at the airport over 18 months, and perhaps many more unreported cases, with photographs from CCTV published on the police website. Police in London, Surrey, Edinburgh and Thames Valley also want to find him.

Mr Rodgers uses other names, including Sean Wells, Neil Roberts and Daniel Thomas. The last reported fraud at the airport happened in May, when the con man posed as a businessman and obtained £100 from a victim. He has been operating at airports and other transport hubs across the country, and pretends he has run out of money and needs to get home.

Police said his favourite method is to ensure he is overheard apparently speaking on his mobile phone about not being able to get home because his credit cards have been cancelled. He then engages the victim in conversation and get them to offer to lend him money. The con man promises to repay the money and provides a mobile number, which is never answered.

Det Con Steve Trott said: ‘This man is a relentless confidence trickster, who provides a very plausible story and comes across as very genuine. He typically seeks only relatively modest amounts of £50-£100, and decent people instinctively want to help. But beware, things are not as they seem.’

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Mr Rodgers or who believes they may be another of his victims is being asked to contact Sussex Police.

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