Joint operation between Stoke on Trent Police and Department of Work and Pensions arrests 13 suspected benefit fraudsters

Joint operation arrests 13 suspected benefit fraudsters

A joint Staffordshire Police and Department of Works and Pensions operation is underway in Stoke-on-Trent today to arrest the number of individuals suspected of being involved in a conspiracy to defraud the benefits agency.

At around eight o'clock this morning arrest teams started to visit locations across the city after a lengthy (DWP) Department of Work and Pensions investigation identified a number of individuals that may be in making fraudulent benefit claims.

Police officers from Stoke-on-Trent have been working closely with DWP investigators as a number of those believed to be involved are also interest to local police in relation to other criminal activity.

Local police officers searched the addresses where persons had been arrested in connection with the fraud investigation to see the documentation which could be connected to the fraud.

Detective Inspector Rob Thompson from Stoke-on-Trent CID said "The Department of Work and Pensions investigation has given us an opportunity to link their area of work to our ongoing work tackle local crime affecting our communities.

We have been working very closely with our colleagues from the DWP in planning today's operation and we look forward to the outcome of this very detailed investigation."

Leaflets have been delivered to addresses surrounding those targeted in today's operation keep local residents informed about the police activity and to encourage local residents to support the ongoing work to tackle crime by calling Crimestoppers with any information that could help police and other agencies tackle crime in the community.

Anyone with information should call Staffordshire Police on 0300 123 4455 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.