A letter writer signing himself "H.H.," called for action against flash jewellery touts selling sham items at Luton market. He wrote:

May I be allowed through the medium of your columns to protest against the continuance in our midst of the sham jewellery touts now so often seen in the Luton market. I have seen these men succeed in obtaining 10 shillings for watches that are anything but bargains, people buying them under the impression, owing to the seductive manner in which the sell is effected, that they are obtaining treble value for their hard-earned money.

The modus operandi adopted by these people to ensure a sprinkling of fiats amongst their audience is to ask high prices for a few gaudy articles, costing from 6s to 10s a gross, and then returning the purchase money, together with the articles, to the bidder. This leads up to higher game, such as securing half a dozen customers, sometimes more for watches, patent razors or fountain pens.

What would are local heavily-taxed jewellers give to sell from six to a dozen watches per hour at fair profits. Yet these men are allowed to pursue their calling so long as their toll dues are paid. It is certainly time that the Markets Committee gave the Toll Collector permission to refuse the letting of stalls to these itinerant gentry.

[The Luton News: Thursday, August 31st, 1916]