STAFF at an Oswestry florist involved in a bizarre theft this week have said they believed it was a precursor to a potential scam.

Faye Williams, who is a member of staff at Hobo Floral Design in Leg Street, said that on Monday, October 14, a customer named ‘John’ called to order a bouquet made up of red roses, costing around £100 and said he would collect it at around 1pm.

About 12.45pm, she said that ‘a big chap of about six foot three and quite chunky’ came in with two associates and said they were here to collect the flowers.

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Faye said that that’s when things became odd.

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She said: “I saw that he had his phone out so I asked if he was going to pay by card, but as I turned around with the card machine I saw his two associates walk off with the flowers.

“He said he didn’t want to pay by card but asked for our details so he could make a bank transfer and I said we don’t do that.

“But I could see the two lads, one in his teens and one in his 20s, had taken off with the flowers but before I could get to the courtyard they had gone.

“It was definitely pre-meditated.

“He asked to pay by bank transfer and again I said we don’t do that and then he denied those people came in with him but they clearly did.

“I asked if he was an honourable man; he just shrugged and then he left to go down Beatrice Street, away from the cash points, but then he phoned up 10 minutes later saying he couldn’t get cash from the bank.

“We think the theft was a ruse to get our bank details for a bigger scam.”

Hobo owner Tracey Austin then returned to the store and immediately rang him to arrange a payment without any joy.

Faye added: “He denied knowing them men and then accused her of being racist towards travellers, which she denies obviously.

“She just said to him ‘money or flowers back’, all that matters.

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“We’ve heard since that it’s happened to another florist who called themselves Patrick but they didn’t collect this time.

“It could be a scam.”

Anyone with any information are urged to call police on 101.