Police will 'track down and destroy' criminal gangs in the North East

POLICE have pledged to “track down and destroy” criminal gangs targeting vulnerable people, aiming to get their hands on their legitimate savings.

It follows the conviction of five “key players” from an organised crime group who defrauded victims in mainly rural areas out of thousands of pounds.

Between January and November 2018 gang members intercepted mail from victims, many of them elderly, living in rural areas of County Durham, North Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire.

Using information acquired from the stolen mail they created false identities to apply for credit and store cards.

It enabled them to secure credit for more than £164,000 and racked up tens of thousands of debts for the legitimate account holders, by buying luxury goods and funding extravagant living.

A major police investigation, led by the North East Regional Specialist Operations Unit (NERSOU) under Operation Sentinel, identified five key suspects, who targeted a total of 15 victims.