Police chopper tracks fraudsters in North Tyneside arrest

Three suspected bogus builders have been arrested after officers tracked their car using the Northumbria Police chopper.

Around 12.30pm on Tuesday officers were contacted by a member of the public who claimed a group of men had fraudulently stolen a large quantity of cash from a neighbour in Sunderland.

With scaffolding up outside the address, the opportunistic suspects turned up at the elderly victim’s door purporting to be roofers – and subsequently gained access to the property.

They were handed money by the victim who believed they were the contracted workers, while at the same time, he was unaware they had also swiped cash from his home. The offenders then made off in a vehicle.

An investigation was immediately launched and officers were able to track the movement of key vehicles that were seen entering and leaving the area at the time of the offence.

Within three hours, police then spotted the car believed to have been involved travelling near Bedlington. With the help of the National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopter, they then tracked its movements to the Holystone area of Newcastle – before officers pulled it over and detained the occupants.

Three men – who are from the North West - have since been arrested on suspicion of burglary and remain in police custody at this time.

Detective Inspector Ed Hollingsworth, of Northumbria Police, said: “This is an appalling crime and one that undermines the community spirit and togetherness that this region is famed for.

“Sadly, there are people who will try to exploit and target the most vulnerable members of our communities – and that’s why it’s imperative that swift and effective justice is brought against those perpetrators.

“In this incident, the victim and neighbour played an instrumental role in quickly alerting officers to what had happened. That meant we could deploy resources immediately and try to track down the car involved.

“Within a few hours, after some outstanding teamwork between teams of officers and NPAS, we spotted the suspected vehicle and were able to swiftly detain those inside it. They will be interviewed in connection with the offence throughout today.

“I would ask the public to make any loved ones, particularly those who live alone, aware of this type of criminality and be vigilant. If anybody turns up at your door unannounced, ask them for identification and do not let them into your home unless you are satisfied they are who they say they are.

“Please ring us immediately if you notice anything suspicious. By working together, we can continue to ensure the net tightens around fraudsters in our area and bring those who prey on others to justice.”

If you think you might have been a victim of fraud, please contact us via 101 or Action Fraud immediately by calling 0300 123 2040. You can also report it online at the Action Fraud website.