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26 Apr 07 19:48 20:48 UK |
Police are investigating after a man admitted trying out a scam shown on BBC Three's Real Hustle programme by targeting bars in Birmingham.
He asked Broad Street bars to pay dry cleaning bills for clothes he claimed had had wine spilled on them by staff.
Bar owners became suspicious after 20 premises were left letters by the man.
But after a BBC reporter called at the address on the fake receipt, Luke Bailey contacted the BBC to admit he had been "a bit immature".
The receipts had been for a fictional dry-cleaning company called Footers with an address in Sutton Coldfield.
'Bit immature'
Mr Bailey said: "It was just something I did out of boredom to be honest with you.
"I had seen the show, The Real Hustle, on TV and it was just curiosity to see if it would work in Birmingham.
"It's nothing intentionally bad towards people that I did it for.
"It was a bit immature and curiosity killed the cat."
In The Real Hustle, conmen were shown executing the scam and later doctoring cheques sent by the duped businesses.
The BBC has passed on its investigation to West Midlands Police.
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