AN ELDERLY couple who almost fell victims of a sophisticated scam that nearly lost them their £9,000-worth car now want to see the con-artists behind bars.

The latest warning comes after a family based in Steventon, who wishes to remain anonymous, was targeted by fraudsters, who offered just a few hundred pounds for their Mercedez Benz after tampering with its engine.

The 'very clever' scam sees the criminals secretly pour oil into the coolant reservoir of the vehicle for sale.

Then, they offer a cut-price because they falsely claim the engine is no-good and will require a lot of work.

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The pricey Mercedez was first advertised on Autotrader and within hours an interested buyer made an enquiry.

The potential buyers – two men and a teenage boy, who looked around 16 years – showed up to the couple's home in Steventon to view the car on January 23.

Speaking about what happened next, they said: "They examined the car and took it for a test drive and then looked under the bonnet for a second time, this time they pointed to oil in the coolant bottle.

"They said the car needed a new engine but that they would be happy to take it for a few hundred pounds even though the the car is advertised at £8,995."

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This is when the stunned couple realised something wrong was going on and declined to proceed with the sale.

After the three scammers left, the pair realised they had also tried to disconnect their CCTV – only it was still recording.

Thames Valley Police were instantly called and officers arrived to take a statement about the ordeal.

Even more, the couple revealed that the high-quality footage clearly, which has now been handed over to the force, showed how the entire scam operates and the faces of the fraudsters.

They said that the teenager can be seen taking a bottle out of his pocket and tampering with the coolant bottle while the other two men distracted the couple at the boot area of the car.

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Speaking after the incident, they said: "It made us feel a bit stupid but it is a very, very clever scam.

"We had to take the car to a garage after to get it fixed, so now we are out of pocket."

Now, the Steventon family wish to raise awareness of this fairy common con and hope that the force can catch the scammers.

A police spokesperson confirmed that a report has been filed and that it is investigating a case of criminal damage.