Two alleged con artists accused an innocent shopper of damaging their vehicle outside a popular shopping centre

A pair of scammers demanded $100 from a shopper outside an Ipswich shopping centre, accusing the man of damaging their car.

A pair of scammers demanded $100 from a shopper outside an Ipswich shopping centre, accusing the man of damaging their car.

A PAIR of alleged con artists ran from an Ipswich shopping centre car park when they realised police were just a phone call away.

Moments earlier, the pair had demanded money from another shopper, who they accused of property damage.

On Friday afternoon, after loading up his car with groceries, a Redbank Plains shopper returned his trolley to the trolley bay at the Redbank Plains Town Square Shopping Centre.

A man approached the shopper, accusing him of bumping the trolley into his car and causing damage to it.

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The man maintained he had not come into contact with any cars in the car park.

This prompted the alleged scammer to call out to a woman who appeared and said she also saw the trolley crash into the man’s car.

The shopper’s wife said her husband suggested the duo call police to mediate the situation but, instead of jumping at the chance to make a formal report, the pair demanded money up front for the damage.

“He just wanted my husband to give him $100 for the so-called damage and became aggressive when my husband refused to pay,” the shopper’s wife said.

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“He was verbally aggressive – he raised his voice and was calling (my husband) stuff.”

She told the Queensland Times the incident took place about 4.30pm.

“(My husband) said he would call the police and let them sort it out,” she said.

When the victim pretended to call police, the pair ran from the car park.

The incident was reported to Redbank Plains Town Square Shopping Centre security.

Read more news by Ebony Graveur.

Originally published as Two alleged con artists accused an innocent shopper of damaging their vehicle outside a popular shopping centre