City of London Police launches crackdown on courier fraud in Hatton Garden

City of London Police has launched a targeted ‘intensification’ alongside the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) in Hatton Garden – the capital’s renowned jewellery quarter – in a concerted crackdown on courier fraud that has cost victims more than £21 million over the past financial year.

Jul 15, 2025
By Paul Jacques

The initiative builds on the momentum of a successful courier fraud enforcement delivered in partnership with the MPS earlier this year. That saw 13 arrests, eight charges, 63 proactive deployments and more than £250,000 in criminal cash seized.

Officers, from both City of London Police, the national lead force for fraud, and the MPS are now focusing their efforts in Hatton Garden to disrupt fraudsters who coerce vulnerable individuals into purchasing high-value gold and jewellery under false pretences, only for these goods to be handed over to criminal couriers posing as trusted officials.

Victims are frequently groomed through sophisticated phone scams, manipulated into believing they’re aiding investigations, then left financially and emotionally devastated.

The intensification sees a surge in enforcement activity, increased patrols and engagement with the Hatton Garden business community to raise awareness, identify suspicious behaviour and bolster protections for potential victims.

Detective Inspector Alexander Eristavi from the lead force operations room at 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.”

As part of the wider strategy, officers are visiting retail units as well as engaging with local taxi firms to raise awareness. In many cases, victims are instructed to visit jewellers via a cab – often incurring steep travel costs.

In one Sussex case, an 84-year-old woman was targeted by scammers impersonating a police officer. She was persuaded to withdraw cash and travel via taxi to a bullion dealer in Slough to buy gold. The fraudsters remained on the phone throughout and attempted to arrange a courier pickup. Fortunately, her family intervened before the assets were handed over.

Data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, run by the City of London Police, reveals that 1,797 reports of courier fraud were received in the past financial year, with an average loss per victim of just over £12,000. The five police force areas reporting the highest total losses were the MPS, Thames Valley Police, Cheshire Constabulary, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and Essex Police.

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