Police have asked for the public’s help to track down a serial scammer who has been linked to frauds totalling more than £100,000.
James Trodd, also known as James Harland, was previously described as “grubby, unkind, manipulative and spiteful” by a judge who sent him to prison.
Sussex Police said today (Monday 20 March): “Police are trying to locate James Trodd, who is wanted for questioning in connection with nine frauds totalling over £100,000.”
Trodd, who turned 28 today, previously lived in Beaconsfield Road, Portslade, and Kingsland Close, Shoreham, but currently has no fixed address. He has links to Shoreham, Brighton and other parts of Sussex.
Police said that he could well be in other places across the south east of England, adding: “If you see him, call 999 quoting Operation Glasshouse.”
Trodd has served time for defrauding his grandmother’s best friend and also swindled a workmate and even his own brother.
While working in recruitment in Brighton he convinced a colleague that they could start their own business and conned her out of £2,000.
He was jailed for three years and three months at Hove Crown Court in August 2019 for a series of frauds – and for two years and three months a year later after 10 more scams came to light.
In August 2014, at Brighton Magistrates’ Court, Trodd was given a 20-week prison sentence, suspended for a year, after he conned two Vodafone stores – in George Street, Hove, and Churchill Square, Brighton.
He was also found to have committed a breach of trust by using a relative to try to defraud Nationwide building society and the Vodafone shops.
At one crown court hearing, Trodd was said to have spent the proceeds of his crimes on cocaine, alcohol and gambling.
