IFB delight as sentences are handed out at Bradford Crown Court

A joint operation between the IFB and West Yorkshire Police code named ‘Keep’ today concluded at Bradford Crown Court.

The proprietor of Autotransform Claims from Keighley West Yorkshire, his partner, an engineer and two claimants were today given a total of seven years and three months imprisonment for defrauding insurance companies.

West Yorkshire Police and the IFB launched an investigation in February 2007 after the IFB identified suspicious claims being submitted to multiple insurers from the accident management company. Dawn raids were carried out in Keighley resulting in 22 arrests for conspiracy to defraud insurance companies. Fraudulent claims, false repairs and replacement hire cars were proved by the use of sophisticated analytical tools and detailed forensic examinations.

John Beadle, chairman of the Insurance Fraud Bureau says: “There is growing evidence to show that the proceeds from this type of fraud are used to fund other forms of serious crime including drugs trafficking and gun running.

"The power of the IFB acting as a collective to represent the industry with law enforcement is demonstrating real results. We are seeing a growing appetite across regional Police Forces to work with the Bureau to pursue the fraudsters targeting our industry. The members of the IFB are determined to protect honest policy holders”

Figures from the IFB estimate that, insurance fraud costs the paying public over £1.6bn per annum adding on average 5% to honest policy holders’ premiums.

Detective sergeant Ben McDonald of Airedale and North Bradford CID, said: "This was an extremely complex and detailed investigation which was one of the first of its kind for West Yorkshire involving officers from West Yorkshire Police, the Insurance Fraud Bureau and the Ministry of Justice. We are pleased with the sentences today which send out a message that the activities of organised criminal gangs will not be tolerated in Keighley or anywhere else in Airedale and North Bradford.

"Members of the gang ring were involved in fraud on an industrial scale and this has been recognised in the sentences. Those who are tempted to engage in insurance fraud such as this should be warned that we will take robust action to find and prosecute them."

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