Police target crash gangs

Gangs who stage car crashes to make false insurance claims are being clamped down on by a new Metropolitan Police squad. The new police unit will target gangs that can earn as much as £50,000 for every bogus accident they cause.

These fraudulent claims cost every law-abiding motorist an estimated extra £40 on their insurance premiums and Detective Chief Inspector Nick Chalmers, who is heading up the new crime unit, says these gangs are claiming up to £350 million per year.

The gangs generally invent a low-speed accident that brings little risk to themselves. They then claim for damage to their car and for injuries such as whiplash. However, the Metropolitan Police Force is now training its traffic officers to spot false accidents and those who have will be charged and prosecuted.

DCI Nick Chalmers said: "It's dangerous not just to the person driving the targeted car, but to other road users who are confronted with the accident. Our aim is to make the roads safer by reducing the number of accidents and false collisions."

A spokesman for a large insurance firm added: "This is a very positive step by the Metropolitan Police. If we believe there has been a false claim, it can be very hard to prove, but this special unit will help us spot criminals and protect innocent motorists."

Alisdair Suttie