Three arrested after series of delivery scams across Hertfordshire

Police have arrested three people following a series of delivery scams across Hertfordshire.

A 32 year old man from Peckham, a 32 year old man from New Cross and a 31 year old woman, also from Peckham, were arrested in connection with nine fraud offences.

They have since been released under investigation whilst enquiries continue.

The fraud involved victims across the county receiving packages that were addressed to them but containing items that they had not ordered.

A short while later a courier arrived to collect the packages, claiming they had been delivered to the wrong address. In most cases the packages contained either iPhones or laptops dispatched by AO.

The arrests came after a resident from Stevenage received two packages from AO and a short while later received a call from a fraudster explaining there had been a mistake and that he would come by the victims address to collect the package.

The victim had previously seen a message about the scam on Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Online Watch System (OWL) and called the police prior to the suspect attended.

Police attended the scene and arrested one man. A man and woman were arrested in Kent after a vehicle linked to the offences was stopped by police.

You can sign up to receive OWL messages at www.owl.co.uk and then you will get emails about crimes in your area, crime prevention advice and details of your local officers and how to get in touch with them.

Hertfordshire Constabulary offers the following crime prevention advice:

- If possible, don’t accept or sign for parcels you haven’t ordered.

- If a parcel you have received is not something you have ordered, you should not hand the parcel over to someone calling at your door unless you have made a prior arrangement for its collection and you are able to check the identity of the caller.

- If you realise a parcel you have received is something you have not ordered, you should immediately contact the company to arrange for its collection. Remember to ask how to ensure the identity of the person collecting it.

If you have already handed over a package in the circumstances described contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via www.actionfraud.police.uk.