Police wage war on Bradford insurance cheats (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Officers join forces with industry to crack down on those using fraudulent details

9:40am Saturday 11th February 2012 in News By Tanya O'Rourke

Police in Bradford have been working alongside insurance companies to clamp down on illegal road users.

Officers from the Queensbury, Royds and Wibsey Neighbourhood Policing Team have been targeting people who make false declarations on their application forms, as part of the crackdown.

Police said if they have intelligence to suggest a person may be using their vehicle to commit crime, officers can request a copy of their insurance application. If it includes a false statement, police will prosecute.

Inspector Alan Rhees Cooper, of the NPT, said: “This is all part of our continued drive to clampdown on those who are using our roads illegally, often at the expense of hard-working members of the public who are suffering through higher premiums.

“We will use all the powers we have available and always look towards innovative methods which will help us to identify those making fraudulent claims.

“It is a partnership effort and by working closely with insurance companies, we can become more effective in making our roads safer and our communities free from crime.”

Meanwhile, a man was arrested on Thursday in Barkerend, Bradford after producing what police believed to be a homemade insurance certificate.

It was part of Operation Northolt, which saw ten vehicles seized for being uninsured and another seized because the driver did not have a licence.

Inspector Dorian James of the Bradford Roads Policing Unit said: “Roads policing officers, the force’s Operational Support Unit and the local Neighbourhood Policing Team joined forces with the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB), Vehicle and Operators Service Agency and DVLA to name just a few.

“By working closely together we have made a significant impact on those who are using the roads illegally and delivered a clear message to other errant drivers.”

Neil Drane, head of database services at the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), said: “The police already use the records on the Motor Insurance Database to seize any vehicle used on the road without insurance.

“Furthermore, the police in Bradford are taking steps to make our roads safer by focusing on those people attempting to defraud their insurers by securing a more favourable premium under false pretences. These fraudsters will be caught and face prosecution.”