Fury over Cameo's last-minute auctions before "suspended" trading

Angry clients said they had placed goods, together worth tens of thousands of pounds, into the latest sales, and fear they will never be paid.
Meanwhile Cameo boss Jon King, of Mattock Way, Abingdon, has registered a new company name, sparking fears that he will allow the previous business to go into liquidation before starting afresh.
The new firm, Cameo Auctioneers Limited, was incorporated on April 12 and members of the King family are listed as directors.
The police have labelled the entire affair a civil matter while, in a new twist, spokeswoman for West Berkshire Council trading standards, Peta Stoddart-Crompton, advised the many dozens of alleged victims of unpaid money, bounced cheques or unlawful bank account withdrawals, to try contacting Cameo again to sort it out.
Bernard Gray, from Marlborough in Wiltshire, said: “A few days ago I gave Cameo £30,000 worth of goods to auction and now they’ve ‘suspended’ trading. We pay taxes to prevent this happening. The authorities seem to have shown almost complete inaction.”
Another client said he had placed £20,000 worth of goods with them and added: “Why haven’t trading standards acted sooner? Why were the auctions allowed to go ahead in the past few days? I have just learned of all the complaints and it doesn’t take an idiot to see what’s going on. I feel let down.”
One disgruntled customer said: “When I called trading standards before submitting items to this auction house, they told me that they couldn’t say anything because it would contravene Data Protection laws.
“What’s the point of having a trading standards office if we’re simply told, on feeling worried, that nothing can be disclosed…until it’s all too late, that is?”
West Berkshire Council’s trading standards departments has declined to comment officially, beyond saying that they were still investigating.
However, it has emerged that its officers took part in an operation at Cameo last Friday.
Thames Valley Police spokeswoman Lucy Billen said: “At 10.30am on April 27, police attended the premises to support a number of trading standards officers, to help them gain access and to ensure there was no trouble.”
That same day, a notice appeared on the door at Cameo’s Midgham offices, which read: “Due to the adverse publicity and a police investigation into a former member of staff Cameo has suspended business until the end of May.”
In a personal reply to one correspondent, shown to Newburytoday.co.uk, senior trading standards officer Paul Fenner said: “In answer to your question about closing down Cameo, I would say that we do not have any statutory powers to take such an action. With regard to the police I am not aware of any investigation being carried out.”
However, he added that a trading standards investigation was underway and that other action could be imminent.
Meanwhile people continue to claim that, despite never having bid in a Cameo auction, they discovered cash removed from their account which they have been unable to get back.
Cameo is also currently subject to 18 outstanding county court judgements involving sums totalling almost £20,000 and complaints continue to pour in.
Among the latest alleged victims was 31-year-old Paul Evans from Newbury, who said: “I gave them a valuable coin collection to value and they sold it - supposedly for just £42 - without permission. One coin alone I knew to be worth £150. And for the silver I agreed to let them sell, I got a cheque from Mr King which has just bounced.”
In her statement on behalf of trading standards, Ms Stoddart-Crompton repeated that the matter was still being investigated and added: “Mr King has stated that he has suspended trading while he attempts to resolve some difficulties. Anyone who has submitted goods to, or purchased goods from, the auction should contact him via the following email address: camauctions@gmail.com
Anyone wishing to contact trading standards about Cameo Auctions should phone (01635) 519930 or email tsadvice@westberks.gov.uk