The London Daily News

Crime Desk

Online fraud is worth around £50 billion a year worldwide, with criminal gangs increasingly using the latest technology to commit crimes, provoking the Association of Police Officers to state in the FT that "the police are being left behind by sophisticated gangs".  The UK it was revealed is subjected to 3 million online crimes a year.

Examples of the level of sophistication by hackers include three hospitals in London and one police force outside of London "had its system shut down for five days", reports the FT.

The Government is expected to establish a "cyber-centre" and a new cabinet unit to deal specifically with cyber crimes.

Criticism has been leveled at police forces across the UK that to date they have not been able to deal with the sophistication of cyber crimes or even able to co-ordinate actions across forces due to a "lack of expertise among officers" reports the FT.

"There is a lack of knowledge particularly among detectives".

To date the British FBI the Serious Organised Crime Agency established three years ago by this government has only managed to seize £1 for every £15 from criminal gangs.  A total of £78 million has been seized against a target of £1.2 billion.

photo credit: London Daily News