0:00:03 > 0:00:06Insurance fraud in the UK is reaching epidemic levels,
0:00:06 > 0:00:09and it's costing us billions of pounds a year.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14Deliberate crashes, bogus personal injury claims,
0:00:14 > 0:00:15even fake deaths.
0:00:18 > 0:00:23The fraudsters are risking more and more to make a quick killing.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27And every year, it's adding up to £50 to your insurance bill.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33Insurers are fighting back.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Armed with covert surveillance systems...
0:00:35 > 0:00:38How they think they can get away with it, I don't know
0:00:38 > 0:00:41when the evidence from the camera is so clear.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43..sophisticated data analysis techniques...
0:00:43 > 0:00:47This is connected to a bank account and a second mobile phone number.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50..and a newly formed, dedicated police unit.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54- Police, get back!- ..they're catching the criminals red handed.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58All those conmen, scammers, cheats on the fiddle,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01now they're caught in the act
0:01:01 > 0:01:04and claimed and shamed.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16Today, a whiplash claimant with an outlandish story.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18She was arguing that she was in two places at once.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21IFED raids a suspected fraud gang.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23Open the door or it'll get smashed in.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26And the Lancashire Police leave nothing to doubt.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28You will be caught and you will be punished
0:01:28 > 0:01:30and your assets will be stripped from you.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Gloucester, not a place you would associate with violent gang crime.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40But on the 11th of August 2007,
0:01:40 > 0:01:4238-year-old local, David Russell,
0:01:42 > 0:01:44was found staggering near his home,
0:01:44 > 0:01:48covered in blood and with seven nails buried in his body.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54He'd been the victim of a violent and unprovoked attack.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57He spun me around, grabbed hold of my,
0:01:57 > 0:01:59bottom of my T-shirt with one hand
0:01:59 > 0:02:03then pushed what I now know to be this orange nail gun
0:02:03 > 0:02:09into my chest and basically fired off a number of cracks, I heard.
0:02:09 > 0:02:14Two of the nails were buried in David Russell's forearm.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17More worryingly another five had been pumped into his chest,
0:02:17 > 0:02:19one lodged just an inch from his heart.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21If it was further left or further down
0:02:21 > 0:02:25it could have caused more of an injury, sort of thing.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27The attackers had not been found,
0:02:27 > 0:02:31DC Dean Morse was given the job of catching them.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Mr Russell's allegation obviously sent concerns through the community,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39the last thing you want
0:02:39 > 0:02:44is reports of a gang going around with a nail gun
0:02:44 > 0:02:46and basically attacking people
0:02:46 > 0:02:48and obviously shooting them with nails.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51From his hospital bed,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54David Russell expressed the fears held by the local community.
0:02:54 > 0:02:59Could have been a little old dear or an old guy, you don't know.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02If they can pick on a 30-odd-year-old bloke,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05they'll pick on anybody, sort of thing.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09So, at the end of the day, we just need to catch them, basically.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13His plea was to have a dramatic effect on the investigation.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15It attracted the attention of an old boss,
0:03:15 > 0:03:20who had some interesting information about Mr Russell for the police.
0:03:20 > 0:03:25On his CV, when he was employed by the company
0:03:25 > 0:03:29he said that he had spent 18 years in the Royal Marines.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32That he had done three tours of duty in Northern Ireland
0:03:32 > 0:03:36and that he had also served in the Gulf War.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Some of which were complete lies,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42so DC Morse did some research on the victim.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44This then led me to making inquiries
0:03:44 > 0:03:47with the Criminal Compensation Board.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Criminal injuries basically told me
0:03:50 > 0:03:55that he had reported a crime in Avon and Somerset in 2004.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58And to his astonishment DC Morse found
0:03:58 > 0:04:03that in that incident David was the victim of an unmotivated attack.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08The weapon - a nail gun.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14The number of nails removed from his body - seven.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20On that occasion his insurer paid out £4,400.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23When you suddenly have a previous allegation
0:04:23 > 0:04:25exactly the same number of nails
0:04:25 > 0:04:29with a method of doing it basically that is exactly the same,
0:04:29 > 0:04:33you know that you've got somebody there who is either
0:04:33 > 0:04:37the unluckiest man in Britain or is a consummate liar.
0:04:39 > 0:04:40We went to arrest Mr Russell,
0:04:40 > 0:04:44and he broke down fairly quickly in interview
0:04:44 > 0:04:47and fully admitted that he had made up both the stories
0:04:47 > 0:04:48in Gloucester and down in Bristol.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52David Russell appeared at Gloucester Crown court.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Pleading guilty, he was sentenced to two-and-a-half years imprisonment
0:04:56 > 0:04:58for perverting the course of justice.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02He was very remorseful as to his actions
0:05:02 > 0:05:06and he has fully regretted what has taken place.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11The IFB sends out a warning to repeat offenders.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14We now have all the tools at our disposal
0:05:14 > 0:05:16to be able to investigate and prosecute.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20And a bus company faces a stubborn fraudster.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22She, at great expense to the public purse,
0:05:22 > 0:05:25decided that she was going to plead not guilty.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31In the fight against the problem of insurance fraud,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34an elite police squad have come together to form IFED,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Insurance fraudsters are hitting us in our pockets. That's not right.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44IFED have been set up to combat that problem
0:05:44 > 0:05:47and we will do so by making arrests all over the country.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50This dedicated team works tirelessly
0:05:50 > 0:05:52to bang up the crooks and conmen
0:05:52 > 0:05:55- getting rich off other people's money.- Police! Step back!
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Commit insurance fraud, there's every chance
0:05:58 > 0:06:00that IFED are going to come knocking on your door
0:06:00 > 0:06:02and bring you to justice.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05Police! Don't move! Stay where you are!
0:06:05 > 0:06:08By April 2012, after only six months of operating
0:06:08 > 0:06:10it had already busted 80 fraudsters.
0:06:10 > 0:06:17Adding up to £12 million of fraud under investigation.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Insurance fraud is seen, at the moment, as an easy touch.
0:06:20 > 0:06:21IFED is setting out to stop that
0:06:21 > 0:06:25and make these organised crime groups think again.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32It's 5.40am and IFED is executing a multi-location raid
0:06:32 > 0:06:36on the members of a suspected fraudulent accident management company.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41These types of bogus outfits work by taking your car
0:06:41 > 0:06:44and making it look as though it's been in a crash
0:06:44 > 0:06:46with a second vehicle.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50They will then pay you to take responsibility for the bogus crash.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Leaving them to make a large claim for the damage
0:06:53 > 0:06:57to the second vehicle against your insurance company.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01IFED has one team preparing to raid a place of business
0:07:01 > 0:07:04and another at a residential address.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06The team suspects that inside this flat lives a member
0:07:06 > 0:07:09who may have been involved in the fraudulent activity.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11THEY KNOCK ON DORR
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Open the door or it's going to get smashed in!
0:07:14 > 0:07:15Good lad.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23With your safety in mind till we do some searching,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26- we'll place some handcuffs on you OK?- Yes, sure.
0:07:26 > 0:07:27Just put your hands out for me.
0:07:27 > 0:07:32Assisting IFED on the raid is the Tactical Aid Unit.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35Having gained entry to the flat,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38DS Mark Forster briefs them on the case.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42He's introduced various people to this accident management company,
0:07:42 > 0:07:46provided names, addresses for these claimants basically.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49So any documentation in relation to names, addresses, you know,
0:07:49 > 0:07:51written on scrap bits of paper.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56We know that the accidents
0:07:56 > 0:07:58that have been fraudulently submitted to the insurance companies
0:07:58 > 0:08:02involve high-value vehicles and a lot of money is being made
0:08:02 > 0:08:06by credit hire, in other words replacement vehicles,
0:08:06 > 0:08:10some of which they're charging the insurance companies £300 a day for.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13And these are vehicles that they've had for up to 18 months.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15Lovely job.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Even before the team starts the search for fraudulent documents,
0:08:18 > 0:08:20they come across some cannabis.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23- Is that just all paraphernalia in there?- Yeah, it is, yeah.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26- They're going to bag up and take with them then.- They found...
0:08:26 > 0:08:28- Get a caution, yeah. - Small amount, is it?
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Yeah, well, an eighth, or something like that.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34IFED came here for evidence of fraudulent activity.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37In one of the bedrooms, a significant find is made.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40A number of sim cards here.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44I don't know, about a dozen or so sim cards, another three there.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Well, as I say, it's a common theme for criminals to use
0:08:47 > 0:08:51more than one mobile phone and certainly more than one sort of sim card.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53It sort of assists to cover their tracks etc, etc.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56Assists with their criminality and basically it makes it
0:08:56 > 0:08:59a lot more difficult for us to detect who they're contacting,
0:08:59 > 0:09:01who's contacting them etc, etc.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04DS Forster is called back to the lounge
0:09:04 > 0:09:08by one of his officers tasked with analysing paperwork.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11He suffered a fall from a ladder in 2005.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Sustained a heal fracture.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17He had an MRI in 2007, revealed protrusion.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24It's documentation that relates to a personal injury claim.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27We're just looking to see whether it may form part of
0:09:27 > 0:09:30a personal injury claim that may be fraudulent
0:09:30 > 0:09:32or whether it is a legitimate claim.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37The raid location has already filled a lot of evidence bags.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45DS Forster suspects he has found a piece of criminal research.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48It's a printed picture from Googlemaps, Streetview.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51This the sort of thing we do come across quite often
0:09:51 > 0:09:56with people who are involved in staged or contrived, accident claims.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00The print-out contains a detailed description of the crash,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03including dates, times and positioning of the cars.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08So, and underneath that is says, "weather, damp, wet."
0:10:08 > 0:10:11And then it says, "driver, male."
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Two males, which were presumably passengers
0:10:13 > 0:10:15or other occupants in that vehicle.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19The suspect is arrested and the search for evidence is over.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22This half of the double raid is complete.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Off we go.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32The second IFED team executes the next phase of the raid.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35You're under arrest, suspicion of conspiracy to defraud.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41The UK is the whiplash capital of Europe.
0:10:41 > 0:10:47Nearly 1,200-whiplash claims are made on our roads every day.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49The cost to the NHS of treating whiplash
0:10:49 > 0:10:52has been estimated at £8 million a year.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58It's December 2008 and the W15 bus is winding its way
0:10:58 > 0:11:02through the busy streets of Walthamstow, North East London.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Our driver was driving along a quite narrow and busy road in London.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08There were cars parked on both sides,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11quite difficult for him to get through.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15Unfortunately, an error of judgement from the driver
0:11:15 > 0:11:18resulted in the bus scraping a parked car.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21The owner of the damaged car, Patricia Walker,
0:11:21 > 0:11:23confronted the driver about the scrape.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31Patricia Walker claimed she had been sitting in the car with her husband,
0:11:31 > 0:11:36that the bus had hit the car and that she had suffered injuries.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38She said that she suffered injuries to her neck
0:11:38 > 0:11:41and that she was still struggling
0:11:41 > 0:11:44with the symptoms four or five months later.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48It was an unfortunate incident and Arriva was going to accept
0:11:48 > 0:11:51full responsibility for the collision and the whiplash suffered by Mrs Walker,
0:11:51 > 0:11:55that was until the bus driver's report was submitted.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00Our driver had done a good job in completing the report form,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03which he has to complete after every incident.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05He made it quite clear there was only one person
0:12:05 > 0:12:07in the vehicle which he had hit.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Before any kind of pay out could be arranged,
0:12:11 > 0:12:14this difference of opinion had to be sorted.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17So Arriva analysed the bus's on-board CCTV footage.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23Our buses are fitted with high-definition CCTV cameras.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27Forward facing, rear facing, internal cameras.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30And when they analysed the footage,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33the bus company didn't like what they saw.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Mrs Walker wasn't in the car at the time of the collision.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41She was in fact crossing the road behind the bus.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44The footage shows her knocking on the bus's back window
0:12:44 > 0:12:46after witnessing the crash.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Unfortunately for Patricia Walker, it showed her not
0:12:52 > 0:12:56actually inside the vehicle as she claimed in her claim form.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58And when the bus actually passed her,
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Patricia Walker then walks behind the bus,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03you then you see her looking down the side of the bus
0:13:03 > 0:13:04at the damage to her vehicle,
0:13:04 > 0:13:08and then entering the bus and talking to the bus driver.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11A fair cop, surely? But not in Patricia's eyes.
0:13:12 > 0:13:17When we showed Patricia Walker the footage she looked shocked.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20And her basic answer was quite simply
0:13:20 > 0:13:24"I know how it looks, Officer, that is me on the footage.
0:13:24 > 0:13:25"I cannot explain it,
0:13:25 > 0:13:28"but I was inside the vehicle at the time of the collision."
0:13:28 > 0:13:33So effectively she was arguing that she was in two places at once.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38The police and we thought that she would plead guilty
0:13:38 > 0:13:39and go away quietly
0:13:39 > 0:13:42with whichever sentence the court thought appropriate.
0:13:42 > 0:13:47But no, she at great expense to the public purse,
0:13:47 > 0:13:49decided that she was going to plead not guilty.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Mrs Walker seemed to think that the jury
0:13:51 > 0:13:54might believe that she could be in two places at once.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Not surprisingly the jury did not believe her.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03Patricia Walker was charged with fraud by false representation.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05The jury found her guilty.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08And on the 27th May 2011, she was sentenced
0:14:08 > 0:14:11to 12 months community service and a three month curfew.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17I think that she just made a wrong decision on this occasion
0:14:17 > 0:14:19and why she pleaded not guilty I have no idea,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22but I think she's regretted that decision.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24I think she was lucky not to go to prison.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27For us, CCTV cameras are worth their weight in gold.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30We want a clear message of deterrence to go out to people
0:14:30 > 0:14:33that if you are involved in an accident with an Arriva bus
0:14:33 > 0:14:36and it's our fault and you are genuinely injured
0:14:36 > 0:14:39then we want to pay you fairly and quickly.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43But if you're not injured and you're out to make a quick buck
0:14:43 > 0:14:47then we'll do all we can to take criminal action against you.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59The British Isles is frequently pummelled by storms
0:14:59 > 0:15:00blown in from the Atlantic.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Tellingly, in this country,
0:15:02 > 0:15:08the second most common type of building insurance claim is for storm damage.
0:15:08 > 0:15:13Meet Munsif Dad, and his two sons Amir and Nadeem.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17It's November 2005 and they've just submitted a £1,430 claim
0:15:17 > 0:15:22for repairs to the storm-damaged roof of a terraced property they own
0:15:22 > 0:15:25in their hometown of Nelson, Lancashire.
0:15:27 > 0:15:32That same month, the Dad family has also submitted a second claim
0:15:32 > 0:15:36for storm damage to the roof of a second property they own nearby.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40The Dads received payouts from the insurance company for both claims.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Seven months later in June 2006,
0:15:43 > 0:15:47in what seems to be an incredible stroke of bad luck,
0:15:47 > 0:15:51one of the houses again suffers storm damage to the roof.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54As before, the Dads submit a claim for the damage
0:15:54 > 0:15:57and wait for the money to come in.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02But 170 miles away in London something was happening
0:16:02 > 0:16:07that would stop the Dads from receiving a penny from their insurers.
0:16:07 > 0:16:12The formation of the Insurance Fraud Bureau, the IFB.
0:16:12 > 0:16:17The IFB was set up to combat organised insurance crime in the UK.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21By persuading a previously secretive insurance industry to share information,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24the IFB has become a very powerful weapon
0:16:24 > 0:16:26in the fight against insurance fraud.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31The IFB had barely reached its first birthday
0:16:31 > 0:16:34when they were approached by an insurer with suspicions
0:16:34 > 0:16:37about a number of claims coming from the small town of Nelson.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Among them, were the Dads' claims for storm-damaged roofs.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48The insurer first became suspicious with the claims in Operation Flash
0:16:48 > 0:16:51because a number of the cases were close to policy inceptions
0:16:51 > 0:16:55and the circumstances of the claims were remarkably similar to one another.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59In order to learn more about Mr Dad,
0:16:59 > 0:17:02the IFB put his details through their specialist software.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07The software has access to information
0:17:07 > 0:17:09from nearly every insurer in the country.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13Armed with just the name and address of just a single policy holder,
0:17:13 > 0:17:18the software can create a map of that individual's insurance agreements.
0:17:18 > 0:17:19It's a very quick process.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21I can start by showing you
0:17:21 > 0:17:23what a genuine person in our system might look like.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26The average policy holder would have a simple map
0:17:26 > 0:17:30with just a few connections raising no suspicion from the IFB.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35Here's an example of one of the properties in Operation Flash.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38This property in the middle was an address that was owned by Amir Dad.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42In less than two years, he submitted nine claims
0:17:42 > 0:17:44and each of these icons highlighted in red
0:17:44 > 0:17:48represents a claim against one of the insurance companies that we worked with.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54The software indicated that Mr Dad was suspiciously well-insured,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57so the IFB took the case back up to Lancashire to get extra help.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03Leading the investigation for the Lancashire Police
0:18:03 > 0:18:05was DI Dave Groombridge.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08He and his team recognised a pattern in the claims
0:18:08 > 0:18:09being made by the Dads.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13I think the offenders in this case were clever
0:18:13 > 0:18:17in keeping their individual claims down to a minimum.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22So it was volume claims, which netted a huge amount of money collectively
0:18:22 > 0:18:24rather than just one or two small big claims.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28DI Dave Groombridge and his team unearthed a total
0:18:28 > 0:18:32of £104,000-worth of claims made by the Dads.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34The Lancashire team also discovered
0:18:34 > 0:18:38the Dads had not restricted their scamming to just home insurance.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43There was a number of claims which were quite outlandish.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48Principally dogs that didn't exist, never had existed,
0:18:48 > 0:18:54after two or three premium payments these dogs were miraculously either lost or stolen.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57There was also large amounts of jewellery,
0:18:57 > 0:19:01apparently stolen in burglaries which indeed later turned up
0:19:01 > 0:19:08in the possession of the claimants, a complete false claim.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12After two years of investigating, the IFB and Lancashire Police
0:19:12 > 0:19:16had collected indisputable evidence of fraudulent activity by the Dads.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20The most astonishing information being the schedule of works
0:19:20 > 0:19:22carried out on the Dads' two properties.
0:19:25 > 0:19:282004, storm damaged roof at house number one.
0:19:29 > 0:19:34September 2005, rear wall damaged by vehicle at house two.
0:19:34 > 0:19:40October 2005, wall damaged at house one.
0:19:40 > 0:19:45November 2005, roof damaged at house one and two!
0:19:45 > 0:19:48March 2006, wall damaged at house one.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52April 2006, roof damaged at house one.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56May 2006, wall damaged at house one.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00June 2006, wall damaged at house one and two!
0:20:00 > 0:20:05June 2006, roof damaged at house two.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10The Lancashire Police were ready to strike.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13The main conspirators, the main people behind this scam,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17were arrested in September 2009 by Lancashire Police.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21They executed warrants at a number of addresses
0:20:21 > 0:20:23supported by staff from the IFB.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25A judge at Preston Crown Court
0:20:25 > 0:20:28called it a clever and determined fraud.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32Mr Munsif Dad was handed a suspended nine-month prison sentence.
0:20:32 > 0:20:37His sons Nadeem and Amir were each imprisoned for 15 months.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41I think their criminal activities dominated their lives
0:20:41 > 0:20:44and a vast majority of the trappings of their wealth
0:20:44 > 0:20:47had come about through their criminal behaviour.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51We pay increased insurance premiums to cover the losses incurred
0:20:51 > 0:20:54by the companies through this sort of fraud.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56But times are changing and the police
0:20:56 > 0:21:00are prepared to work with other agencies and collectively
0:21:00 > 0:21:04we will pursue these people and be under no misapprehension, you will be caught
0:21:04 > 0:21:07and you will be punished, and your assets will be stripped from you.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17Today, IFED is executing raids on a suspected motor fraud gang.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Open the door or it's going to get smashed in!
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Alongside the arrest of a suspect earlier,
0:21:22 > 0:21:26the second IFED team continues to search two further properties.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31A large search is planned at a business address
0:21:31 > 0:21:33where they hope to secure more evidence.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40First, IFED heads to the home of another suspect.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45KNOCK ON DOOR
0:21:45 > 0:21:47- We're from the City of London Police. - From what?- We're from the police.
0:21:47 > 0:21:52- Yeah?- Yes. Can we come in, please? - Yes, course you can.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58You are under arrest, OK? On suspicion of conspiracy to defraud.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00For what?
0:22:00 > 0:22:03You don't have to say anything, but it may harm your defence
0:22:03 > 0:22:06if you do mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Anything you do say may be given in evidence.
0:22:09 > 0:22:10Do you understand?
0:22:10 > 0:22:11- Yes.- Yes.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15The suspect works for the accident management company
0:22:15 > 0:22:20and they believe is involved in the alleged fraudulent activity there.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23DC Declan Malowe searches the flat for evidence of fraud.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26It shouldn't be too long once we've finished searching,
0:22:26 > 0:22:29we'll then take you to the custody suite
0:22:29 > 0:22:33and then at some point later on today you'll be interviewed.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35This is the lady's main bedroom.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38The other bedroom's been searched and nothing's been found,
0:22:38 > 0:22:42so this is the last room to do in the flat.
0:22:48 > 0:22:53DC Malowe takes some paper work for further investigation.
0:22:53 > 0:22:54With a second suspect arrested,
0:22:54 > 0:22:57IFED has just one more location to raid.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59We've just heard news from DS Finnegan
0:22:59 > 0:23:02that we've got access to another premises
0:23:02 > 0:23:04so we're just waiting for further update from him
0:23:04 > 0:23:07to see if he needs additional resources there when we've finished.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11With a 1,000-square metre business to search,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14the IFED team based here will need plenty of help.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Leading the search is DS Tom Finnegan
0:23:18 > 0:23:21who's just been made aware of the recent arrests.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25We intend to carry out a search of her office very shortly,
0:23:25 > 0:23:28as I said there are other
0:23:28 > 0:23:31locked offices in there that are the offices of the directors.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35We intend to affect entry to those offices shortly
0:23:35 > 0:23:37and we'll see what comes out of that search.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43There's plenty of security protecting this workplace,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46but IFED is used to such measures
0:23:46 > 0:23:50and has come armed with a crow bar and a battering ram.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56It's not just about brute force though.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Today, DS Finnegan's IFED unit is comprised
0:23:59 > 0:24:01of specialist investigators,
0:24:01 > 0:24:03brought in anticipation of complex evidence.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07My colleague here is specially trained to interrogate computers,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10laptops, anything of digital electronic nature.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13We have dedicated financial investigators
0:24:13 > 0:24:17and this gentleman is one of those investigators.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20He's here specifically to look at the financial documents
0:24:20 > 0:24:21in relation to the company.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Looking at an intimidating workload,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28DS Finnegan calls in the help of DC Malowe and DI Rogers.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Right, the sort of things that we'll be looking for
0:24:34 > 0:24:37are these sort of files which say "referrals",
0:24:37 > 0:24:41and within those we'd expect to find documentation of people
0:24:41 > 0:24:44that have allegedly been involved in accidents
0:24:44 > 0:24:48and the subsequent claims that have then transpired from those accidents
0:24:50 > 0:24:52Every scrap of evidence is needed
0:24:52 > 0:24:55if the IFED team is to get a conviction and it's mounting up.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03This is an office which we're interested in searching.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05We'd expect to see whiteboards on the wall,
0:25:05 > 0:25:07indicating the work that they're currently involved in.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10And we would think that these are the names
0:25:10 > 0:25:15likely of people involved in staged accidents that haven't occurred.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20The financial investigator makes a discovery.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22So far, we can see large sums of money
0:25:22 > 0:25:25going through their business account which might be all legitimate,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28but at this stage it's certainly of interest to us.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32DS Finnegan's IT specialist is extracting large amounts
0:25:32 > 0:25:34of potential evidence from the computers.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38What my colleague is doing this time is taking an image,
0:25:38 > 0:25:43a forensic image of that server which we can use at a later date,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45examine it for any evidence that might be on it
0:25:45 > 0:25:49and obviously then it can be prepared as an exhibit for the case.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56All in, IFED spends over 50 man hours
0:25:56 > 0:25:59extracting, deciphering and bagging evidence on site.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04It's been a successful raid,
0:26:04 > 0:26:06IFED has enough evidence to fill a van.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Making DS Finnegan a happy man.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19We believe this particular accident claim company
0:26:19 > 0:26:23has been responsible for putting a large number of fraudulent claims
0:26:23 > 0:26:26forward to the insurance industries.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29That, of course, when they turn out to be fraudulent
0:26:29 > 0:26:32and the insurance industry spend that money, or pay that money out,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35results in you and I, and all members of the British public,
0:26:35 > 0:26:38paying more for their insurance.
0:26:38 > 0:26:39We, at the end of the day,
0:26:39 > 0:26:43are covering in our premiums the cost of fraud that has been committed.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48The owners of the accident management company were also arrested,
0:26:48 > 0:26:51and along with the two suspects arrested in the IFED raids,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53are all now on bail.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56If charged with conspiracy to defraud and found guilty
0:26:56 > 0:27:00all four could be facing ten years in prison.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd