Some Irish scammers flee after targeting restaurants, businesses
Several of the “brazen” Irish scammers accused of ripping off Brisbane restaurants and businesses to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars have left the country, police say.
The motley collection of men, women and children have been linked to glass or hair planted in restaurant meals, shoplifting and dodgy construction across the city.
Two women who are allegedly part of the group of scammers.
On Monday morning, Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming said they appeared to have gone to ground after massive media attention last week.
“We know some of these people have left the country now and my detectives are still investigating and bringing it all together for those that may remain within the country,” he told the Nine Network.
“It’s pretty obvious to us, based on some of our findings so far, that this attention has put many of them to ground, which is a good thing because our key goal at the moment is to stop these people committing any more offences.”
A series of businesses have come forward with tales of fraud since last Tuesday, when Bird’s Nest Restaurant owner Marie Yokoyama claimed a group of women planted glass in their food to get a free meal.
As well as the food scams, reports included children distracting shopkeepers as parents stole items, as well as Irish men offering trade work such as bitumening or roofing to elderly people and either not completing it or doing a bad job.
On Friday, Superintendent Fleming confirmed all of the complaints had been brought under one investigation as police worked to stop and catch the alleged fraudsters.
Two of the men allegedly involved in the scams.
Photo: Queensland Police ServiceBy that stage police had received a dozen reports linked to the group, some dating to January.
"There’s a bit of an art and craft to this, they generally remain highly mobile and they don't stay in one place too long and my experience tells me they are generally alert to the practices of police,” he said.
“Based on the CCTV they don’t seem to be concerned in any way shape or form about being seen or detected, that either means they’ve done nothing wrong or they’re incredibly brazen and they have no respect for the law and more importantly have no respect for the people in our community."
Ruth McCosker is an urban affairs reporter at the Brisbane Times, with a special interest in Brisbane City Council
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