Police have launched a new crackdown on courier fraud in Hatton Garden after victims were conned out of more than £21 million in the past financial year.
The City of London Police, the national lead force for fraud, is working with the Metropolitan Police Service to carry out targeted enforcement in the capital’s famous jewellery quarter. The move is part of a wider effort to disrupt criminals who trick vulnerable people into buying gold and jewellery under false pretences, only for the goods to be handed over to fraudsters posing as police or other trusted officials.
The joint operation follows a previous enforcement effort earlier this year that resulted in 13 arrests, eight charges, 63 proactive deployments and the seizure of more than £250,000 in criminal cash.
Officers are now intensifying patrols in Hatton Garden and working closely with local businesses to identify suspicious behaviour, raise awareness and bolster protection for potential victims.
Detective Inspector Alexander Eristavi, from the Lead Force Operations Room at the City of London Police, said: “Fraudsters are manipulating people’s trust and exploiting their victims to steal millions in precious metals and jewellery. These criminals operate with sophistication and cruelty, and this intensification in Hatton Garden is about cutting off their access to traders and holding them to account.
“We are urging jewellers to remain vigilant for red flags — such as nervous buyers making unusually large purchases under pressure or citing unknown third parties — and to report any suspicious transactions.”
In courier fraud cases, scammers often contact elderly victims by phone, pretending to be police officers or bank staff. They convince their targets to help with a fake investigation by buying expensive items such as gold bars or jewellery, which are then picked up by couriers posing as officials.
As part of the crackdown, officers are also visiting retail units and engaging with local taxi firms to warn them about the tactics being used. In many cases, victims are sent to shops via cab, often at significant personal cost.
In one recent case in Sussex, an 84-year-old woman was targeted by fraudsters impersonating a police officer. She was told to withdraw cash and take a taxi to a bullion dealer in Slough to buy gold. The scammers stayed on the phone throughout the journey and tried to arrange a courier to collect the items. Fortunately, her family intervened before the handover took place.
Data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, which is run by the City of London Police, shows there were 1,797 reports of courier fraud in the last financial year. The average loss per victim was just over £12,000.
The five police forces reporting the highest total losses were the Metropolitan Police Service, Thames Valley Police, Cheshire Constabulary, Hampshire Constabulary, and Essex Police.
