Last Wednesday, in my role as the Hon Secretary of the Fuller's Brewery Surrey County League, I received an email from Stuart Cope of the Surrey Cricket Board about a serious theft that had taken place the previous weekend at Ham and Petersham CC. This may be linked to a scam involving a new player wanting to join a club.

A new player had got in touch by email asking to play, and was selected for a Sunday game. He came to the club on the Saturday to watch, and was very helpful in offering to help out with teas, and he clearly had a background in cricket. During the game, two players were robbed of cash, and a car was stolen. On investigation, a number of other concerns were highlighted, including the fact that the 'new player' had offered to collect the valuables of the opposition, and had at one stage locked himself into a dressing room. The cricketer who discovered the room locked must have assumed that the key had been left with the scorer, or similar.

At the end of the game, this 'new player' was nowhere to be seen, and has not been contactable since.

This prime suspect is aged around 30, is about 5 ft 9 inches in height, and has a scar under his left eye. He is of 'mixed race' background, of an 'afro/american' rather than 'sub-continental asian' appearance, and speaks with a 'London' accent.

The club was concerned that the person may strike again at another local club - AND HE HAS !!

Yesterday I received a telephone call from a senior official at Addiscombe CC. This time the suspect contacted the Addiscombe CC 1st XI captain during the week, looking to join the club, and on Saturday keys, money, ipads and a car were stolen.

Clearly, at the beginning of a season, clubs are vulnerable, as even 'home' players may think that someone that they do not recognise who is linking himself to the club is a newly joined player who may not have been to winter nets, or pre-season outdoor nets. His knowledge of the 'home' players, presumably gained from the internet, helps him to blend in, without drawing attention to himself.

Clubs are asked to be especially vigilant at the beginning of the season about potential 'new players' who may have casually approached them looking to join.

Roger Montgomery,
Hon Secretary, Fuller's Brewery Surrey County League