Hunt for man selling £100 organic veg boxes ‘full of cheap Tesco goods’

A suspected fraudster who scammed buyers by passing off cheap supermarket fruit and veg as exclusive organic food is on the run – and has even appeared on Crimewatch.

Mark Bullen, 52, is wanted by police forces in Kent, Sussex, and Edinburgh for the fruit and veg scam.

Unsuspecting victims were responding to adverts online promising ‘organic’ fruit and vegetable boxes from a ‘family farm’.

But while some of those victims may have received one or two boxes, that so-called organic produce was actually bought from the local supermarket, MailOnline reports.

Others paid large amounts, sometimes more than £100, for boxes that never arrived – and when they complained to the alleged fraudster, they say he threatened to call the police on them.

One of the websites for Bullens’s bogus company was called ‘Vegan Express’ – but he has used a number of different business fronts.

He’s wanted after failing to appear before court in connection with several fraud offences at hotels, including in Tunbridge Wells in Kent.

Karen Wilkes, 50, from Clermiston, Edinburgh said: ‘My stepdaughter said that she was getting fruit delivered weekly till Christmas for £70 and her first box arrived and was great.

‘I did think it was too good to be true but then her second box arrived and was equally as good.

‘I had also checked on Facebook and there was a lot of interaction with customers and it did in fact seem like a good, legitimate deal.

‘My stepdaughter had also recommended the delivery to her partner’s mum who was equally skeptical, but equally impressed enough to give it a go.

‘As we were a week or so on we were £60 for weekly delivery. I mentioned to my neighbour who wanted the delivery too, and she mentioned to her mum who got on board as well.

‘First week arrived, £120 handed over for my neighbour and my delivery and the others handed over their £60.

‘The following week no delivery arrived. I was told deliveries in my area were delayed and to wait a few days.

‘A few days later no deliveries for myself, neighbour or neighbour’s mum. Texted again and was told it would be next week.

‘That’s the last we heard.’

Debbie Hardwick from Hove, East Sussex, had a run-in with the scammer last year when she ordered three boxes, after being told the produce was from Bullen’s ‘family farm’.

She said: ‘Saw an advert on Facebook about veg and fruit boxes as being disabled I thought that’s lovely so I ordered three.

‘Then I got a private message asking me whether I want a deal for three months of veg and then whether I wanted meat packs as well as chocolates.

‘I ended up losing about £300 and my neighbour, who is deaf and dumb, ordered one before Christmas.

‘She spent £500 and never got anything.

‘He preyed on vulnerable and disabled people.

‘Nasty piece of work. Apparently the fruit and veg comes from Aldi and Lidl and the boxes are really cheap.’

A man, who wishes to remain anonymous, was employed by Bullen as a delivery driver in Edinburgh, but claims he never received any salary for his hard work.

Now he has dedicated himself to exposing the crimes of Bullen and has insider knowledge of the scam.

‘When he did a runner I took over his Facebook groups,’ he said, ‘he would block and delete any posts from people complaining about not receiving a delivery.

‘He used various male and female names to try to trade his fruit and vegetables.

‘Basically, he bought groceries from Tesco and I delivered them around Edinburgh.

‘Then we’d go to a Tesco in Musselburgh and deliver in that area too and repeat all over again in another area.

‘Normally, I did 15-20 deliveries a day and was told I’d get £15 an hour.

‘I did six days a week for two weeks but then stopped because he didn’t pay my wages.

‘Whenever I asked him about it, he would then start threatening me.’

Kent Police and Police Scotland have confirmed Bullen is still wanted on suspicion of fraud.

Sussex Police did not reply to requests for comment.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.