Operation Harlem

Hampshire Constabulary took the lead on the investigation, Operation Harlem, which focused on more than 70 distraction burglary offences which took place across 12 force areas in England and Wales over just a few months.

Between February 6, 2008, and April 3, 2008, a series of over 70 distraction burglaries with the same modus operandi had taken place across many parts of England and Wales. Of these cases, 17 offences were committed in Hampshire, including six in one day on March 20, 2008.
The offenders used weapons to force entry and intimidate victims, including truncheons and crowbars.
The case was picked up by Hampshire Constabulary’s regional tasking and coordinating group. Detective Inspector Mark Bissell was the senior investigating officer (SIO), with Detective Sergeant Dan Hope as deputy senior investigating officer. Later in the investigation, when the case went to the court stage, Det Sgt Hope took ownership.
Det Insp Bissell is a Professionalising Investigation Programme (PIP) 3 accredited SIO and has worked on a number of complex cases.
Det Sgt Hope said the crimes committed were an organised and sustained attack upon some of the most vulnerable members of society.
“These three individuals planned these offences in a professional and calculated way. They stole high-performance prestige vehicles which were then used with numerous registration plates, replicating the identity of similar vehicles to avoid detection,” he said.
“They travelled the length and breadth of the country researching their targets. On many occasions, stories were provided by the men to the elderly occupants stating that they were from the water board, gas service, and, more disconcertingly, on many occasions claiming to be police officers in order to gain entry.
“Fraudulent identification and a wooden truncheon were used and, in some instances, handcuffs were seen to back up their story. 
“Jewellery and cash and, in some instances, life savings were taken via ‘untidy’ searches, while the victim was either restrained or distracted by other members of the team.”

Background to the case 
Police already had an idea who the perpetrators of the burglaries were and the suspects were tracked down and arrested in Scotland following a police pursuit.
In-depth work was completed with the national Operation Liberal team, based in the East Midlands specialist operations unit, in respect of the intelligence picture of this organised crime group.
“Hampshire Constabulary has the lead in the region for distraction burglary and, as result, this investigation was coordinated, owned and investigated by the serious and organised crime unit of Hampshire Constabulary,” said Det Insp Bissell.

Key milestones
Initially, early collaboration with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was vital. Another important factor was the calling of an early conference, which included a single point of contact from all affected forces.
“This was done in order to request a minimum standard concerning each force`s respective crimes, and to lay down some time parameters,” explained Det Insp Bissell.
This meeting also established strategies for dealing with forensic work, identification and arrest issues.
The team also found it extremely useful to appointment an analyst at the earliest possible stage.
“The analysts played a vital role, and was responsible for reviewing and collating crimes across England and Wales, based on modus operandi, automatic numberplate recognition (ANPR), and telephone evidence,” said Det Insp Bissell.
The next key milestone was establishing a good working relationship with forces across the border in Scotland, to arrange arrests using cross-border powers and the logistical exercise of the return of the offenders to Hampshire, via road and air.

Determining the charge
The team worked in close liaison with the CPS from a very early stage. “The CPS appointed a senior prosecutor to re