Police have arrested and charged four suspects after more than £24,000 was conned out of elderly victims in Stevenage.

Between March and May this year, 23 elderly victims in the Stevenage area were called over the telephone by people claiming to be police officers investigating fraudulent activity on their bank accounts. Some of the victims were then persuaded to withdraw large sums of money and hand it over to couriers who later arrived on their doorsteps.

In total, £24,500 was taken.

Tahera Chowdhury, who is 21 and from Dartford, and Mohammed Noor, also 21, from Camden in London, were arrested by officers from Hertfordshire’s Operation Manhunt, on Tuesday.

They appeared at Hatfield Remand Court on Friday where they were held in custody,

They will next appear at Cambridge Crown Court on June 2.

Rayhan Miah, who is 20 and from Camden, and Shaker Chowdhury, aged 23, from Camden, were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday respectively and are currently on bail to return to Central and West Herts Magistrates Court on June 3.

The four have all been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud.

Operation Manhunt is a specialist unit which investigates distraction burglary, frauds and other crimes against the elderly. Herts police is warning elderly people never to disclose their bank details or pin numbers over the phone and not to send or transfer money or bank cards to anyone after being asked over the phone. They should also report anything suspicious by calling 101.