Victim swindled out of $11K in jewellery by online Kijiji scam

Suspects posed as Sunglass Hut owners, say police

CBC News Posted: Jul 16, 2015 3:19 PM ET Last Updated: Jul 16, 2015 3:19 PM ET 

An image of one of three suspects wanted for allegedly swindling someone out of $11,000 in jewellery in May. (MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais)  

West Quebec police are looking for three people who allegedly used the online classifieds website Kijiji to swindle someone out of more than $11,000 in jewellery.
In early May, a man and a woman used Kijiji to arrange a meeting with the victim to view the jewellery, the MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais said Thursday.
They allegedly told the victim that they owned several Sunglass Hut franchises between Cornwall and Montreal, police said, and would have to discuss the jewellery purchase with their "business partner" first.

Issued fake bank draft

Two days later, they allegedly struck an agreement that would include an initial bank deposit of $200, followed by the handover of a bank draft of $11,300 in exchange for the jewellery, said police.
Soon after the exchange was completed with the business partner on May 24, the victim's bank realized the draft was fake, police said.
Police described the original couple as:

• a possibly Italian man approximately 35 years old, around 6'1 (185 cm) tall with black hair and no glasses, who identified himself as "Christopher" and spoke both French and English;
• an unidentified woman, also about 35 years old, around 5'2 (157 cm) tall with black hair below her shoulders, false eyelashes, wide hips and a broad chest. She also spoke both French and English.

They drove a rusted, dark-coloured, older model SUV, licensed in Ontario but with no front plate, police said.
The "business partner" is described a possibly Italian man about 40 years old, around 5'10 (178 cm) tall with a slim build and black hair. He spoke both French and English and identified himself as "Christiano," police said.
Anyone with information can contact directly Sgt.-Det. Julie Bouthillier at 819-459-2422, extension 3244, or the "Info des Collines" line at 1-844-477-2529.