A MAN was threatened and robbed of a four figure sum after answering an advert in a car sales magazine.

On Saturday, April 28, a 58-year-old man from Oxford travelled with his wife to St John’s Court in Buckhurst Hill after replying to an advert placed in Autotrader offering a silver Volkswagen Golf for sale.

The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “It seemed like a very good deal and when I asked him why he was selling for such a low price over the phone he said he was desperate for the money.

“I took it for a test drive on the Saturday and he seemed a genuine sort of guy, he described his ambitions and talked about how he needed the money for a van and was going to take his business ideas on the Dragon’s Den. “We arranged to meet in the same place on the Monday (April 30) at about half eight in the evening for the £7,500 payment.

“I offered him various forms of payment but he said he needed the cash. Looking back on it there were so many signs something was wrong, like he would not let me check the chassis number, but it was a very good deal and I wanted to secure it.

“They were about an hour late and there were two men in the car when it drove up at about 9.30pm. One of them got out, he was wearing a hood, he stuck something in my side and told me to hand over the money.

“They then drove off with it.

“I am really kicking myself. It is a valuable lesson for us, we will not get that money back but we are not injured and if our experience can stop it happening to another person then some good will come of it.

The first man was white, with brown hair and dark eyes, in his late 20s and about six feet tall.

His accomplice was also white.

Anyone with information is asked to call PC Neale Parker at Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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