A LUXURY watch worth at least £7,000 has been stolen from a Basildon man in a scam, after he posted it for sale on Facebook Marketplace. 

The 32-year-old, who asked not to be named, decided to sell his beloved watch in a bid to find extra cash to help pay bills and spoil his children this Christmas. 

After placing the Omega Ploprof for sale on Facebook, he was messaged by a woman who arranged to visit him and view the watch as a gift for her husband. 

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After arriving four hours late, she allegedly came into his home, looked at the watch, and said she would buy it - but asked if she could pay via bank transfer.

The victim admitted her felt “devastated”.

He told the Echo: “She made the transfer through her banking app. However, when I checked my account, the money had not arrived.

“She then called the bank and after being on hold for a while, the call handler said it would take two to 24 hours.

“She then showed me the transaction and it seemed so genuine, so I gave her the watch. 

The very next day the money had still not arrived, and then the woman started changing her details on Facebook.

The 32-year-old called his bank, and they told him there was no transaction and the reference number on her transaction was not real.

He added: “I am feeling absolutely devastated.

“I was selling the watch to help the family out for Christmas and to pay some bills off.

“I feel stupid for failing for this scam.”

The watch is an Omega Ploprof with a white dial stainless steel with a shark mesh diving strap, worth around £7,000.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “‘We were called to an address in Basildon on December 7 following reports of fraud, where a designer watch was stolen. This matter remains under investigation and we are working with Action Fraud with our enquiries.”

Anyone with information should contact Essex Police on 101, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.