City of London Police - News & appeals

A Penarth man has admitted to making a bogus compensation claim using images of a wound downloaded from the internet to try and convince his insurer he had suffered a serious cut. The 28-year-old man was arrested in by the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED), which is part of the City of London Police, and later cautioned for committing fraud by false representation. The fraudster had told his insurer he had suffered a serious injury at the DW Sports & Fitness gym, submitting the online images to support his £500 claim. In reality it was a paper cut that only required treatment with a small plaster. After reviewing the details the insurer referred the case on to IFED for investigation, and soon after detectives travelled to South Wales to make the arrest. Dave Whelan, owner of DW Sports & Fitness and chairman of Wigan FC said: “As a company we are shocked at the levels this man has sunk to in using another person’s injury to make an insurance claim." Head of IFED, DCI Dave Wood, said: “IFED is sending out a clear message that insurance fraud in all its forms will not be tolerated, wherever it has been committed. “There is still a public perception that making bogus claims to insurance companies about accidents, ill-health or stolen property is somehow acceptable. IFED making arrests South Wales is evidence of how committed we are to changing this culture.” IFED was set-up with funding from the insurance industry to combat an area of criminality valued at £3 billion per year, working out at £50 per policy holder. Since its January-launch detectives have made a series of arrests across the UK, targeting organised and opportunistic fraudsters who are submitting bogus claims.

City of London Police detectives are appealing for information after a judge was robbed of his “sentimental” watch in the area of Mansion House. Detectives have issued CCTV images of two men they want to talk to in connection with the incident and are asking for the public’s help to name them. At 10.45pm on Wednesday 11 July 2012 Judge Richard Hawkins QC was approached by two men on Mansion House Street. One of the men then pinned the 71-year-old to a wall before making off with his watch. The Tissot watch (similar example pictured) was a gift from a family member when Mr Hawkins was made a QC by the Lord Chancellor at the House of Lords in 1984. The inscription reads: ‘Richard Hawkins ESQ QC House of Lords 1st May 1984’. Detectives have followed a number of lines of enquiry as part of their investigation into the incident but to no avail. Investigating officer, DC Giles Cunningham, said: “We want to hear from anyone with information about this incident or who thinks they recognise these men. “Even the smallest piece of information could assist us in apprehending those responsible for this robbery and recovering Mr Hawkins’ watch – something which is of huge sentimental value to him.” Anyone with information should call DC Cunningham on 020 7601 2606. Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org. CCTV Images

City of London Police is seeking financial and cyber-security experts to volunteer on a consultancy basis to assist investigators in complex economic crime inquiries. The force is holding an open evening on Wednesday 26 September 2012 for interested parties to find out more. Economic crime is now estimated to cost the UK more than £73 billion per year, causing direct harm to the economy and people nationwide. The City of London Police is the national police service lead for economic crime. The force investigates a wide range of complex, high value and high profile economic crimes, some of which involve abuse of financial markets and cyber security-related criminality. The force has a well-established volunteer scheme and already benefits from the skills and knowledge brought by those who give their time to various departments. Recognising that economic crime investigators’ knowledge of financial markets and 21st century technology would be complimented by consulting those actively engaged in these areas, the force is seeking experts to volunteer within its Economic Crime Directorate. City of London Police Commander Ian Dyson says: “We investigate some of the most complex and high value frauds in the UK, cases that are being made more intricate by evolving financial markets and constantly advancing technology. “To effectively tackle this type of criminality and bring those responsible to justice we’re seeking experts in these fields to work with us as volunteer consultants. “This arrangement will assist our investigators unpick the locks set up to undertake and conceal frauds, and provide volunteers with the opportunity to enhance their skills through a unique and rewarding experience.” Businesses with corporate social responsibility schemes will have the opportunity to support their employees as volunteer consultants. The open evening on Wednesday 26 September will further explain the type of work the force does, how volunteer consultants can help, and the benefits of getting involved for both individuals and corporate entities. The open evening will take place at 37 Wood Street, EC2P 2NQ at 5.30pm. This is a free event, with refreshments provided. For places, please contact DI Andrew Fyfe at andrew.fyfe@cityoflondon.pnn.police.uk. Related Pages Police Support Staff Volunteers

The Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Card Unit (DCPCU) are warning of a new ATM fraud where criminals use an invisible ‘cash claw’ to jam cash machines allowing them to steal customer’s money. The ‘pre-staging’ starts when a member of the gang uses a pre-pay card to withdraw a small amount of money. During the transaction they insert a thin metal instrument into the cash dispenser so it sits inside the machinery on the belt, just behind the cash dispenser shutter, making it invisible to the genuine customer. The criminal then leaves the vicinity while an associate keeps close watch until a genuine cardholder attempts a withdrawal, only for the cash to become trapped in the “claw”. When the bewildered customer gives up and moves on the gang quickly move in to force the dispenser shutter open and remove the cash. The deployment of the “Cash Claw” first came to the notice of the UK banking industry in April after its use had been reported in Italy, Spain, and Netherlands, and after that the UK. Confirmed cases are rising exponentially, with the most prolific offending happening across London, including the City. Crime Prevention Officer Tony Blake, from the DCPCU, said: “The ‘cash claw’ is just the latest attempt by small-time crime gangs to steal customer and their banks money directly out of the cash machine. “Industry has quickly wised up to this new methodology and is working alongside us to catch those responsible and to make it much more difficult for anyone looking to follow in their footsteps.”

Two men who made bogus claims for whiplash injuries suffered in a road traffic collision they weren’t even involved in have been handed suspended prison terms. Mohammed Ishaaq and Ahmed Mohammed Sheikh made personal injury claims to 1st Central Insurance in March 2011 claiming they were back-seat passengers in a car that collided with a lorry in Birmingham two years earlier (February 2009). These claims contradicted a statement from the car owner which said only he and his wife were in the car at the time of the collision. This contradiction led 1st Central to report the claims to the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED), operating out of the City of London Police, for investigation in January 2012. A couple of months later, detectives travelled to Birmingham to arrest Ishaaq and Sheikh and later charged them with fraud by false representation. At Birmingham Crown Court today (29 August 2012), the pair were handed two month prison terms suspended for 18 months. IFED DC Michael Jones says: “Ishaaq and Sheikh thought they could make some easy money by falsely claiming to have suffered injuries in a road traffic collision. “Unfortunately for them the diligence of the insurer combined with our quick-fire investigation exposed their fraud and has left them with a criminal record. “There is still a public perception that making bogus claims to insurance companies about accidents, ill-health or stolen property is somehow acceptable. These sentences are evidence of how IFED is changing this culture.” 27-year-old Ishaaq, of Gibson Road in Birmingham, who’d previously pleaded guilty to the fraud, was also ordered to undertake 80 hours unpaid work and pay £1,000 compensation to 1st Central. 43-year-old Sheikh of Gladstone Road in Birmingham, who was found guilty of fraud, was also handed an 18 month supervision order. Glen Marr, Director of Fraud at 1st Central, says: “We welcome the action taken by IFED which follows evidence supplied to them by 1st Central. “Phantom passenger claims are one type of personal injury fraud encountered by insurers and we hope that this latest sentencing will reinforce to fraudsters, that they will be detected, their actions will not be taken lightly and that there are very real personal implications for committing fraud against insurers.” IFED was set-up with funding from the insurance industry to combat an area of criminality valued at £3 billion per year, working out at £50 per policy holder. Since its January-launch detectives have made a series of arrests across the UK, targeting organised and opportunistic fraudsters who are submitting bogus claims.

The NFIB is issuing a warning about a suspected lottery fraud that is being used to secure victims personal details rather than their money. To date analysts have identified what appears to be four separate scams where people are receiving individually addressed letters saying they have won either the Microsoft, FIFA Euro 2012 or Euro Millions lotteries. Recipients of the letters are informed they need to complete a claims form to indicate whether they want to receive their winnings by cheque or bank transfer, which must then be either emailed or faxed back to the companies allegedly operating from the following addresses: 99 Gresham Street – Microsoft Lottery: respond by email Canada Square, Canary Wharf E14 – FIFA Euro 2012 Lottery: respond by fax to Northwest Financial Consultants 16 Eastcheap London EC3 – Euro Millions Lottery: respond by email 1 Ropemaker Street EC2 – Euro Millions Lottery International: Alfy Europe Consultants or Alpha Funds & Wealth Management UK or Haworth Security Ltd: respond by fax All of the above addresses house legitimate businesses that have no association with the companies listed above. None of the suspected frauds appear to be connected. In each case victims are not being asked for any fee, but instead their credentials – including bank details - which could be used to commit another crime. The NFIB first became aware of the suspected fraud after people without access to email or fax, or who misunderstood the instructions, posted their claims forms back to the listed addresses. This inadvertently prevented their details being disclosed to the fraudsters. As the number of letters arriving increased, security at all four locations became suspicious and notified the police. The NFIB has since suspended the phone lines, only for them to quickly re-emerge under the guise of an alternative company name. At this stage analysts are only aware of victims who wrote in and want to hear from people who followed the instructions on the letters and faxed or emailed the claim form. DC Alex Eristavi, from the NFIB, said: “On this occasion it appears that fraudsters are preying on people’s hopes and dreams to secure personal information now and money later. “Anyone who has shared their bank account details via fax or email thinking they have won the lottery should contact their banks and inform Action Fraud.”

An off-duty Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) who restarted a man’s heart with a defibrillator after he stopped breathing on a London train has been praised for his actions by the man he saved and police colleagues. PCSO David Douglas was off duty at London Liverpool Street train station when he heard a person calling for help from the carriage of a standing train. PCSO Douglas attended the carriage and saw a man lying on the floor with two train passengers administering him incorrect CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). Quickly identifying himself as a trained first aider, PCSO Douglas instructed the passengers on how to administer CPR correctly. Realising the man still wasn’t breathing, PCSO Douglas retrieved a defibrillator device from the platform and took it back to the carriage. He applied the pads to the man’s chest and administered a shock to his heart –restarting it and enabling the man to breath unaided. The man, 83-year-old John Poulton from Cambridge who had been visiting his son in the City, was treated by the ambulance service at the scene before being taken to hospital. On making a full recovery, Mr Poulton thanked PCSO Douglas for his saving his life. Head of Territorial Policing Chief Superintendent Andrew Mellor, said: “The quick and decisive action of PCSO Douglas prevented what could have been a tragedy. “His actions represent the best of the City of London Police, whose officers all have first aid qualifications as part of their training so they can respond in an emergency– and that’s exactly what this officer did, even though he was off-duty. “We are all incredibly proud of him.” PCSO Douglas said: “When I arrived in the train carriage, I could see Mr Poulton wasn’t breathing and the two passengers making a valiant effort to save his life. My priority was to get his heart started and I’m delighted I was able to use my first aid training to do so.”

City of London Police detectives are appealing for information after a man was robbed of his bag on Watling Street. Detectives have issued CCTV images of a group of teenagers they want to talk to in connection with the incident and are asking for the public’s help to identify them. At around 9.45pm on Sunday 5 August 2012 the victim was approached by five teenage boys. One of the boys asked the victim for the time before grabbing hold of his bag and attempting to pull it away. A second boy then threatened “give him the bag or you will get something else” and gestured with his hand towards the victim causing him to release his grip on the bag after which the boys ran away with it. Detectives are following a number of lines of enquiry under their investigation into the incident but are now issuing the CCTV images as part of a public appeal. Investigating officer, DS Mark Simmons, said:“We want to hear from anyone with information about this incident or who thinks they recognise these teenagers. “Even the smallest piece of information could assist us in apprehending those responsible for this robbery.” Anyone with information should call DS Simmons on 020 76012147. Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

A further three people have been charged with committing grievous bodily harm with intent following a stabbing on Gresham Street on Sunday 15 July 2012 – bringing the total number of people charged to eight. Andrew Gittens, aged 23, of Churchill Road, EN4 and Rowan Lopez, aged 24, of Tunnel Gardens, N11, recently appeared at magistrates’ court and were remanded into custody. Leonel Streete, aged 23, of Perth Road, N22, also appeared at magistrates’ court and was remanded. A subsequent application to the Central Criminal Court saw him released on bail. Four other men and a woman remain on remand having been charged with committing grievous bodily harm with intent, they are: Jasmine Nassif, aged 21, of Alma Road, EN3 Riquel Peterson, aged 24, of Sutterton Street, N7 Ismail Francis, aged 22, of Hadrians Ride, EN3 Colin Mbagwu, aged 27, of Beechwood Road, N8 Marlon Brown, aged 26, of Rivulet Road, N17 The eight are due to appear at court on Friday 12 October 2012.

City of London Police has launched an initiative to help City employers identify and support staff suffering domestic abuse. A toolkit, which will be distributed to employers in the City, aims to help them identify those who may be subject to domestic abuse and then offer guidance and support. The launch was attended and advocated by Baroness Scotland and Heather Small of M People. It was timed to coincide with ‘Peace Day’, a 24 hour global truce on violence run by charity Peace One Day. Detective Inspector Steve Jackson, who heads up the force’s Public Protection Unit, said: “We know that domestic abuse victims often manage to hold down a job in spite of what they’re suffering at home. This toolkit is designed to help employers identify members of their staff who are being abused and offer them support. “Peace Day provided us with the right opportunity to launch the toolkit, so I’m confident we’ll reach all City employers and hopeful we’ll eventually get to those beyond the Square Mile.” Once distributed throughout the City, DI Jackson will be working with forces nationally to ensure that it is distributed further afield. City organisations who would like a toolkit should contact DI Jackson on 020 7601 2940/43 or at PPU@cityoflondon.pnn.police.uk. Check out pictures from the launch on Twitter @CityPolice.

A major operation targeting online shopping fraudsters (Sep 24) has seen the City of London Police, which is the National Lead Force for fraud, arrest four people across the South East of England. The ‘Day of Action’ was triggered by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) and a leading online shopping retailer working in tandem over the weekend to identify suspicious fraudulent orders submitted via the internet. This intelligence led detectives to three locations where they arrested three men, 29, 28 and 25, and one woman, 44, all on suspicion of fraud by false representation. Deliveries that included men's and women's designer clothes and a tom-tom were recovered and a number of other packages found at the properties were seized as evidence. The four suspects were later released on bail. In the run-up to the festive period the NFIB and British Retail Consortium (BRC) are focusing on the threat posed by online shopping fraud. Together they will be building intelligence packages that will help police officers pin-point the operations that are facilitating the criminality. Online shopping fraud is estimated to have cost the retail sector more than £200 million in the past year and is consistently one of the highest reported crimes to the NFIB, via Action Fraud. Director of the NFIB, Det Supt Dave Clark, said: “Criminals will always follow the money, which is why they are increasingly targeting a rapidly expanding market like online shopping. “At the best of times the retail sector could ill-afford to be losing millions of pounds to fraudsters, but in this very difficult economic climate it is putting people’s jobs and businesses on the line. “Today the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau and the retail sector have made a clear statement of intent, saying enough is enough. In a matter of days suspicious activity has been turned into quality intelligence which has led detectives to suspected fraudsters. This marks the first ‘Day of Action’ against online shopping, but it certainly won’t be the last.”

New figures released show that basic frauds, such as distraction thefts and people being tricked into giving their cards, PINs and financial passwords to criminals, have contributed to a small overall increase in card fraud and online banking fraud losses. Cheque fraud losses have also increased, but phone banking losses have fallen by a fifth. According to The UK Cards Association, total fraud losses on UK cards totalled £185 million between January and June 2012. This is a 9 per cent increase on losses in the first half of last year (£169.8 million), but represents a fall of 39% from the total of £304.2 million in the first half of 2008 when fraud was at its peak. Additionally, card fraud losses as a proportion of the amount we spent on our cards has actually decreased – from 0.066% during January to June 2011 to 0.063% during the first half of this year. With technology such as chip and PIN helping to deter fraud, criminals have turned their attention to more straightforward ways of getting hold of people’s cards and PINs. This includes distracting people in shops or at cash machines and then stealing their cards without them noticing, as well as simply tricking them into handing over their cards and PINs on their own doorstep. For example, elderly customers are called by someone claiming to be from their bank and then being told that their debit or credit card needs collecting. From there, they are asked to key in their PIN, following which a courier is sent by the fraudster to collect the card. Four-fifths (80%) of consumers surveyed earlier in 2012 felt anyone could be a potential victim to this fraud, which police warn is on the increase. Online banking fraud losses totalled £21.6 million during January to June 2012 – a 28 per cent increase on the 2011 half-year figure. This has been driven by a huge increase in the number of phishing websites set up by criminals as part of a scam to trick customers into visiting these fake websites and disclosing their online banking login details. Losses in this area also reflect the trend in card fraud, with deception scams resulting in increases. Online banking customers are being tricked into divulging their online login details and passwords over the phone to someone they believe is from their bank but is actually a fraudster. Phone banking fraud losses fell to £6.7 million (a 21 per cent decrease) during January to June 2012. This reduction is partly down to the fact that criminals are focusing their efforts on fraudulently accessing accounts online rather than over the phone. Cheque fraud losses increased from £16.4 million in the first half of 2011 to £17.9 million during the same period in 2012. Although this is a nine per cent increase, the overwhelming majority of this type of fraud is stopped before the cheque is paid. In fact, £241.3 million of attempted cheque fraud was spotted and stopped during the clearing process in the first half of this year. DCI David Carter, Head of the Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit (DCPCU) said: “This increase is due to organised criminal gangs committing straightforward frauds, and our focus remains on targeting those responsible and bringing them to justice. And given this rise in old fashioned crimes – criminals using distraction techniques and duping people into disclosing their passwords and online banking details - we are urging everyone to be on their guard and work with us to help stop this criminal activity. Your bank or the police will never cold call you or email you and ask you for your full login details, cards or PINs. If anyone does, hang up the phone or delete the email.”

On Wednesday 3 October at 11.10pm, ITV broadcast an ‘Exposure’ documentary into allegations of historic sexual abuse by the broadcaster Sir Jimmy Savile. These allegations have also been widely covered in the media. Anyone affected by the issues raised in the programme, or the related media coverage, can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 for support or their local police force to make a report.

City of London Police detectives are appealing for information after a woman was assaulted in The Green Man pub on Poultry – leaving her with a black eye. Detectives have issued CCTV images of a man they want to talk to in connection with the incident on Friday 28 September 2012 and are asking for the public’s help to identify him. At 10.28pm the woman and her male friend were at the top of a flight of stairs on the ground floor of the pub when she tripped over. Three men standing at the ground floor bar shouted at the woman and her friend before following them down the flight of stairs towards the basement – pushing them a few times. One of the men then punched the woman on the left side of her face before repeatedly punching her friend in the face. The assault left the woman with a black eye and her friend with abrasions to his face. Detectives are following a number of lines of enquiry under their investigation into the incident but are now issuing CCTV images as part of a public appeal. Investigating officer, DC Thomas Hayball, said: “This was an unprovoked and sustained attack on two people who’d been enjoying a drink together after a day at work. "The woman was so shocked by the attack that she has consented to a picture of her injuries being released as part of our witness appeal and investigation into the assault. “We want to hear from anyone with information about this incident or who thinks they recognise the man pictured in the CCTV images. “This type of assault is uncommon in the Square Mile but when an incident occurs we will do all we can to ensure the perpetrators face justice.” Anyone with information should call DC Hayball on 020 7601 2854. Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.

A protest is being planned in the area of Paternoster Square on Saturday afternoon (13 October 2012) to mark the first anniversary since Occupy established its camp in St Paul's Churchyard.The City of London Police is liaising with residents, businesses and landowners in the Square Mile and aims to work with protest organisers to ensure the event is appropriately policed.Supt Dave McGinley says: ‘We have a duty not just to provide a proportionate policing response but to minimise the potential disruption to Londoners going about their business. “We also want to work with the organisers of Saturday’s protest to facilitate their protest and we have invited them to arrange a meeting to discuss their plans."Updates relating to the protest, which is scheduled to take place between 2pm and 5pm, will be placed on the force website and twitter account @CityPolice.

Visit the Apple iStore to download the App today A new smartphone App, researched by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and developed jointly with the force, is now available to download.Designed to share real time information with the police and people in the City of London, the App offers a host of general day-to-day useful features about the City of London Police. Anyone installing it on their smartphone will get access to information on: Street level crime information, navigable maps showing police stations, London Underground transport links and many other points of interest Links to the latest City of London Police news and live @CityPolice twitter feed, plus the force’s website Useful information about the City of London Police, including its community policing teams and role as police service lead for tackling economic crime Information on how to be prepared in the event of an emergency There is also an additional key feature that will help the City of London Police to assess and monitor crowd density during large scale events – but it only works when people who have installed the App agree to share their location data. When the force ‘switches’ on this crowd sourcing capability during big events or gatherings, people with the App installed receive a message asking if they are prepared to opt into the service.People who agree will share their location. This information is used anonymously by the City of London Police to provide greater clarity on the movement of crowds during events and will allow the force to send relevant warning and informing messages to people through the App, on twitter and through the force website.City of London Police Assistant Commissioner Frank Armstrong says: ‘This App is packed with useful features and is also about helping to keep people safe. It is an excellent way for people to learn more about the force. It will also help the City of London Police to monitor crowds during large events and to keep people informed. This really is about police and the public working together for our mutual benefit.‘I have no doubt it will prove to be a valuable tool to guide our policing response during events, or emergencies – but we can only do this with the public’s trust and help.’The App has been developed as part of a four year European project called Socionical by three partners (German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI); ETH Zurich and LSE). Socionical is funded by the European Union and aims to help scientists and policy makers better understand how the applied use of new technology can benefit society. Prof. Eve Mitleton-Kelly, from the LSE, has been involved with the App since its inception. She said: ‘This is a tremendous breakthrough in the use of technology that can be of real and practical benefit to society. It was initially designed to be used for safe evacuation following a major incident, but has proved its worth in peaceful but crowded events by making them more enjoyable.”. Sgt Rebecca Walker, from the City of London Police’s Emergency Planning department, has been working closely with the (LSE) Socionical Project.She said: ‘We have taken into account people’s concern about legal data protection and privacy issues. Personal mobile numbers are not collected and the data is sent anonymously. We’re certainly not tracking individuals – we are purely assessing crowd density and movement. We want people to feel safe and comfortable when using the App in the City and to know they’re helping the police – and in turn that we can help them. The App also had to meet stringent EU regulations on privacy.’A version of the App for Android smartphones is currently being developed and will be introduced soon. Visit the Apple iStore to download the App today

There will be a large march followed by a rally in Central London on Saturday 20th October 2012. For information on the march visit the Metropolitan Police website.

The Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit (DCPCU) has dismantled what is believed to be one of the UK’s biggest counterfeit cheque crime groups following a major operation in Yorkshire and Scotland. Last Wednesday and Thursday morning (Oct 17) in excess of 60 officers from the DCPCU, City of London Police and West Yorkshire Police arrested five men and two women. Around 100 cheque books were seized, each containing up to 50 cheques, with the potential to facilitate in excess of £5million worth of fraud. Numerous printers and printing materials that could be used to forge cheques, and a sizeable quantity of crack cocaine and heroin, were also found during searches of 22 addresses and a car. At the same time a separate team was out with Dumfries and Galloway, and Strathclyde forces executing warrants at five properties and making a number of seizures. Detectives have been investigating a counterfeiting network with links to Zimbabwe for months, and suspect they could have been making up to £50,000 a week using counterfeit cheques, potentially netting up to £10 million in total. Cheque usage has gone down in recent years but there are still over 2.7 million transactions a day. And although the most recent figures show that cheque fraud is rising, more than 90% of all fraudulent cheques are detected as they go through the cheque clearing process. Organised crime gangs continue to steal customer cheques to use as templates, and are also targeting company cheque books. But they are now purchasing higher quality printers, paper and ink from the internet to produce counterfeit cheques that are much more difficult to detect. This, combined with many people no longer being familiar with cheque security is creating increasingly fertile ground for fraudsters. The DCPCU, which is a specialist police unit sponsored by the banks to investigate serious and organised payment fraud, is working with the industry to stamp out organised card and cheque fraud across the UK. The unit comprises officers from the City of London and Metropolitan police forces working alongside bank investigators and case support staff. The Head of DCPCU, DCI Dave Carter, said: “A decline in counterfeit cheque fraud ironically left a chink in the door, with criminals now combining old techniques with the specialist purchasing powers of the internet to cash-in on a general lack of public awareness of cheque security. “These arrests send out a strong message across the UK to both members of the public and criminals. The DCPCU are alive to the threat of counterfeit cheques, take it seriously, and will travel far and wide in pursuit of those we believe are responsible.” The Commissioner of the City of London Police, Adrian Leppard, said: “This operation emphasises the importance of UK police forces coming together to tackle fraud and fight the common enemy that is organised crime. It also shows how private sector – policing partnerships continue to make a significant contribution to the national police response to economic crime. “Looking forwards these established alliances and privately funded specialist police units will become key components in the new National Crime Agency’s Economic Crime Command, which becomes fully operational in autumn 2013." The five men, three aged 32, and one 33 and 30, and the two women, 31 and 29 were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud. They were questioned in West Yorkshire police stations and later released on bail.

Three businessmen who duped financial institutions out of £20 million to expand their property portfolio have been jailed. A City of London Police investigation found Amarjit Singh-Mann and his associates Jagjeet Chahal and Kamlesh Panchel tried to fund the expansion by refinancing a number of their existing commercial properties but falsely told the institutions they had secured long-term leases on the properties with several different companies. Three lenders granted large loans on the grounds that the men had secured the leases and, therefore, could guarantee a steady income. Detectives arrested Singh-Mann and Panchel in September 2009 after one lender reported the fraud. Chahal was arrested in June 2010 and the three were subsequently charged with conspiracy to defraud. The men were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud at Harrow Crown Court on 10 October 2012. DC Claire Bailey said: “Singh-Mann, Chahal and Panchel thought their mortgage fraud was so complex they could beat the lenders and the police but our investigation, along with the cooperation of the lenders, has proven their arrogance was their downfall.” Yesterday (29 October) at Harrow Crown Court, Singh-Mann and Panchal were each sentenced to seven years in prison while Chahal received a 3-and-a-half year jail term. All were disqualified from directorship for eight years.

The Commissioner of the City of London Police, Adrian Leppard, joined the UK media launch today (Thursday 8 November) for a global charity fund-raising project called The Wings of Kilimanjaro. The Commissioner will be attempting a world first challenge early next year as he becomes one of 200 paragliders who aim to climb 19,000 feet to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and fly back to earth from the summit – in the process hoping to raise $1 million. Mr Leppard joined the project’s founder, paraglider Adrian McRae, and adventurer and mountaineer Squash Falconer at the launch event, fittingly held at the top of the Gherkin, St Mary Axe, where more details about the project were unveiled. The Wings of Kilimanjaro challenge has already secured support from pilots in over 60 countries from Peru to Russia. The project is a huge undertaking with a team of more than 1,000 porters, guides and crew supporting the paragliding team, who will leave for the mountain on 29 January 2013. The 200 participants will face sub zero temperatures, rough terrain, the dizziness and nausea of altitude sickness as they battle their way to the top. Only the strongest will succeed. The three charities chosen by the project team, One Foundation, Plant with Purpose and World Serve International all work in Tanzania (East Africa) to address the severe problems of poverty in rural communities, deforestation and humanitarian issues including clean drinking water, HIV, nutrition and sanitation. Thanks to the efforts of Mr Leppard, the Lord Mayor’s Appeal 2013 charities will also benefit as half of the money that he raises will go to charities chosen by the Lord Mayor of London. The Commissioner is taking part in the challenge in his own time. He says: “Taking part in this amazing project presents me with the biggest challenge of my life as well as giving me the opportunity to raise funds for the Lord Mayor’s charities and worthwhile causes in Africa.” Watch out for a special Wings of Kilimanjaro float taking part in the Lord Mayor’s Show procession on Saturday 10 November. You can find out more about the Wings of Kilimanjaro project at their website www.wingsofkilimanjaro.com You can watch video clips from today’s launch here.

First cut not always the deepest

Appeal for information after judge robbed of “sentimental” watch

Tackling fraud: City force seeks financial and cyber-security expert volunteers to consult on economic crime inquiries

Crime gangs use ‘cash claw’ to block ATMs and trap customer’s cash

Phantom car passengers sentenced

Suspected lottery fraud being used to secure victims personal details rather than their money

Man praises off-duty Police Community Support Officer for saving his life

Appeal for information after Watling Street robbery

Further three people charged following Gresham Street stabbing

Initiative to help City employers support staff suffering domestic abuse

Online orders lead to arrests

Old crimes leads to small rise in card fraud

Allegations of historic sexual abuse by the broadcaster Sir Jimmy Savile

Appeal for information after woman assaulted in Poultry pub

Planned protest in the City on Saturday

Force launches new free smartphone App to share real time information

March in central London on Saturday

DCPCU and City of London Police break-up suspected £10 million counterfeit cheque gang

Businessmen jailed for £20m commercial mortgage fraud

Commissioner Leppard aims high for charity