A 69-year-old man from Tamil Nadu, identified as Vincent John, has been arrested by the Raipur Police for allegedly scamming hundreds of luxury hotels across the country over the last 30 years. John’s modus operandi involved checking into luxury hotels, enjoying their amenities for days, and then quietly sneaking out without paying. He would often sneak out with valuables from the hotel, such as laptops and expensive liquor.
John’s scamming spree has been reported in several states, including West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Jharkhand, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the Union Territory of Delhi. He has been arrested several times, including once by the Delhi Police in 2016 and again in Navi Mumbai in 2020. According to police records, John has cases pending against him in multiple jurisdictions.
John’s tactics involved posing as a respectable guest, often claiming to be an English teacher, tour guide, or yoga instructor. He would arrive at hotels with two bags, one carrying his belongings and the other stuffed with newspapers or pillows. He would never allow hotel staff to carry his luggage, and would often leave one bag behind to evade suspicion.
In his latest scam, John checked into a five-star hotel in Raipur on June 25, posing as an event organizer. He ordered expensive cigarettes and liquor, and even managed to sweet-talk a staffer into giving him a laptop. After staying for two days, John quietly slipped out of the hotel, leaving behind a bill of Rs 63,755.
The police were able to track John down after he sold the stolen items and fled to Bhubaneswar, where he was arrested on July 2. During questioning, John claimed that he had been taking advantage of his age and promised that this was his last scam. However, police officials are skeptical of his claims, citing his history of deception.
John’s case highlights the vulnerability of luxury hotels to scams and the need for stricter security measures to prevent such incidents. It also raises questions about how John was able to evade detection for so long, and how he managed to convince hotel staff to trust him despite his dubious credentials.
