On February 12, 2026, Cleveland Police arrested four people during a series of morning raids across Teesside to tackle suspected scams involving business funds and fake event bookings.
Officers visited homes in Stockton, Hemlington, Billingham, and Hartlepool as part of a national crackdown on fraud called Operation Henhouse. In Billingham, a 44-year-old woman was arrested for her role in a suspected scam where up to 41 parents paid for children’s activities, including boat trips, bowling, and pantomimes, that never took place.
In Hartlepool, a 36-year-old man was arrested for allegedly taking about £30,000 from business funds while in a position of trust. At a home in Stockton, a 60-year-old man was detained for reportedly creating fake sales invoices to claim between £2,500 and £3,000 in work commissions he was not entitled to receive.
During a search in the Dallas Court area of Hemlington, investigators believe they stopped a new scam from happening by arriving before another person could be targeted. A fifth man was also arrested at the same house on an outstanding warrant for carrying a knife. The Cleveland Police Economic and Cyber Crime Unit is now asking residents to stay alert to offers that seem too good to be true.
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