Man claimed to be a police officer in Wolverhampton jewellery con
A man pretended to be a police officer in a bid to deceive the owners of a Wolverhampton jewellers into handing over stock, a court was told.
Venelin Mihaylov walked into Guru Jewellers in Dudley Road, Blakenhall, and told the owners that he was a policeman who needed to protect their stock from potential raiders, Wolverhampton Magistrates Court heard.
Using a warrant card stolen in 2005, Mihaylov tried to convince staff that a gang from Manchester were looking to target their store and that he needed to take their stock away for safe keeping.
However, after they refused to hand over the jewellery Mihaylov left and the owners called the police who confirmed that no such operation existed.
Jayne Yeoman, prosecuting, told the court yesterday: "In December 2012 a man was arrested on an unrelated matter. A search on the car he was in revealed the warrant card and a script identical to one used at the jewellers."
Police were then able to connect 28-year-old Mihaylov, of Princess Gate, West Bromwich, with the stolen documents and make an arrest. At his first hearing on January 7 he pleaded guilty to impersonating a police officer.
Vaughn Whistance, defending, said his client was suffering a low point in his life.
Mihaylov was handed an eight-week jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, along with a 12-month community order and told to pay costs of £85.
