More than £1 billion has been recovered from the proceeds of crime and tax offenders since the formation of a specialist HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) fraud squad five years ago.
Launched in April 2016, the department’s Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) has now recovered assets equivalent to funding around 20,000 NHS nurses for an entire year.
FIS has been proactively pursuing the suspected proceeds of crime using enforcement powers, both criminal and civil, to disrupt the movement of cash and assets. Since 2016, more than 1,200 seizures of cash and assets have been made...
Police investigating an assault in which two men in their 20s were punched in the face in Exeter are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
One of the victims suffered a broken jaw in the unprovoked attack which happened at the Guildhall Shopping Centre between midnight and 12.30am on Sunday 19 December.
His family have joined detectives in appealing for information.
They said in a statement: “We are desperately appealing for information regarding an assault on our cherished family member. Our peaceful and kind son, brother, uncle and grandson was violently...
Reported bicycle thefts fell by nearly 19% in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2019, according to the latest police crime figures.
The falling rate of bike crime comes despite a record boom in bicycle sales during the UK’s successive lockdowns.
The total number of bicycle thefts between April and June 2021 came in at 17,940, almost 19% lower than during the same period in 2019, when reported thefts clocked in at 22,140.
The biggest year-on-year drops were recorded in West Mercia, Hertfordshire and the City of London, where police...
In the midst of a pandemic, there has never been a greater need to protect communities in the South West and our National Health Service from harm. The charity Crimestoppers has this week launched a new campaign with a stark warning that silence won’t stop violence, urging people to speak up anonymously to help save lives.
Crimestoppers highlights a 93% rise in UK hospital admissions for knife attacks on under-16s since 2012.* They also reveal that information the charity has received over the past four years about knife crime has rocketed threefold (340%), whilst firearms info...
Three police forces in the South West are to receive extra funding as part of the government’s £25million Safer Streets Fund – delivering on a key Conservative manifesto commitment.
Avon and Somerset will receive £400,000, Devon and Cornwall £546,781 and Dorset £266,357 – a total of £1,213,138.
The Safer Streets Fund forms part of the government’s concerted action to tackle crime.
It aims to stop offences that blight communities and cause misery to victims from happening in the first place.
The extra funding will be aimed at improving security in areas...
I recently carried out free power tool forensic security marking at Jewson, Sowton where i handed out approx 60 SelectaDNA marking kits to trades people.
I did say about doing a similar event in Marsh Barton so after speaking to management at Toolstation, they've agreed that i can hold an event there on Mon 5th Nov from 8.30am onwards.
The reason i'm doing this is after the high number of reports of power tools being stolen around Exeter and the surrounding areas. A lot of these tools are high value and cost the owners a lot of money to replace.
Police in East Devon have issued a warning to the public following a number of burglaries in the area.
An investigation is underway following six burglaries in the Sidmouth area since February, all of which have similar methods of entry.
Detective Constable Matt Burnell, said: “Over the past two months there have been six dwelling burglaries in the Sidmouth area.
“The vast majority of properties targeted are detached bungalows and entry is generally forced to windows at the rear of properties. It also appears that the offenders are focussing on stealing jewellery...
Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw has praised the city’s forthcoming Cyber Security Awareness Week for leading the war against increasing online crime.
Mr Bradshaw said it was a timely reminder for all businesses to review their online security and prepare for General Data Protection Regulation coming into force in May, requiring companies to change the way they capture and store personal details.
Congratulating Exeter-based Bluegrass Group for organising a week long programme of free seminars and workshops, Mr Bradshaw said: ‘ Cyber Security Awareness Week is yet another excellent...
