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Kent Police feature on TV show: Tonight - The Public Threat

16:05, 12 September 2019

updated: 17:43, 14 September 2019

A show aired last night on ITV featured a case investigated by Kent Police.

Tonight - Fraud: The Public Threat started at 7.30pm and featured a fraud case in Kent where officers arrest a man after a sting operation.

Helen Skelton presents the show. Picture ITV
Helen Skelton presents the show. Picture ITV

People who have been targeted by fraudsters appeared on the show which is presented by Helen Skelton, who herself became a victim to scammers when she lost £70,000 from her account.

She'd received an email appearing to be from TV Licensing, but when she clicked to pay a small fee, it actually led to criminals stealing the cash from her account.

Kent Police featured in this week's show when they caught a criminal who was posing as a policeman.

He was arrested with £15,000 on him which he'd stolen an hour before.

A pensioner from the county is also featured in the show.

The show will feature a case Kent Police investigated. Stock picture
The show will feature a case Kent Police investigated. Stock picture

The woman is 85 and over a number of years, she’d had some work done on her home.

The elderly woman felt the work was very expensive, yet not done very well.

She tells the show how a man came to her door claiming to be from the police.

He tells the pensioner he's investigating the tradesmen who’d carried the improvements to her home, but tells her he needed fees from her to help with his investigation.

Kent Police feature on the show. Stock picture
Kent Police feature on the show. Stock picture

The pensioner was duped into withdrawing £15,000, from her account because she thought she was helping the police.

During the show it's also revealed Kent Police have up to six impersonation fraud cases a day.

Officers investigating the fraud against the elderly woman have released an image one of the men they want to talk to in connection with their investigation.

Police would like to talk to this man in connection with the fraud. Picture: Kent Police
Police would like to talk to this man in connection with the fraud. Picture: Kent Police

The pensioner had lost money to rogue traders previously and was then cold called in July this year by a man who said he was from the police and she needed to pay court fees in order to prosecute the suspects.

She went to various banks and post offices in Chatham, Strood and Hempstead Valley, accompanied by a ‘courier’ where she withdrew money totalling £15,000 and handed it over.

If you know this man, call 01622 690690 quoting crime reference 46/139648/19.

To get the latest updates in ongoing cases, police appeals and criminals put behind bars, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Kent

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