Beware of ‘charming’ kitchen knife salesman, Mayo gardaí warn

A man attempting to sell boxes of ‘superior’ kitchen knives to members of the public in shopping centre car parks around Mayo has come under garda attention.

Gardai say they are aware of the ‘salesman’s’ activities and have urged caution on the part of would-be purchasers.

“The reality is that nobody knows the origin of these items," a garda source has warned.

The technique and methods of the suspect salesman has been revealed to The Connaught Telegraph by a motorist who was approached in a shop car park around mid-afternoon yesterday.

“I was parking my car when he approached. He was ultra-friendly, told me my car (a Toyota Yaris) was a fine vehicle, good for half a million miles and that his uncle had one.

“I was disarmed by the friendly, down to earth approach.

“Then the man produced a box with a colorful lid full of kitchen knives. He said they were the very best as regards quality, that the top chefs in the world used them.

“He then withdrew a smashing looking knife from the box, proceeded to illustrate its sharpness by effortlessly slicing through a sheet of paper.

“The man said he was a representative of a midlands company and had boxes of knives left over after a local promotion and I was welcome to take not one, but two boxes as a gift.

“But when the boxes had been handed over he demanded payment.

“As I didn’t want the knives I pulled €5 from my wallet.

"When the man suggested €50 I declined and handed the boxes of knives back.

“The man who had been my ‘new best friend’ moments earlier became most indignant, sat into a white van and motored away."

Gardai say people all over the country are being targeted at the moment by kitchen knife salesmen.

In some counties, the boxes of ceramic knives are being retailed door to door.

One sales pitch being reported is that a local retail outlet purchased a number of the items but did not take all of the order and therefore the remainder are being sold at a special discount.