Criminals have been stripped of £1.5 million in cash and assets by Airedale and North Bradford Police in the past two years.

Detectives are stepping up their use of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) to seize the ill-gotten gains of villains and pump them back into communities.

The division’s POCA Team carried out a series of raids across Keighley this week, as part of a Proceeds of Crime Act Week of Action, and has so far made four arrests for fraud-related crime and recovered a number of vehicles, including a BMW X5.

It is part of a regional ‘Why Should They?’ campaign which encourages residents to report those who they suspect of benefiting from crime.

The Airedale and North Bradford team was recently involved in an investigation into an alleged £500,000 fraud in Keighley for which two men were arrested in October. They have been bailed pending further inquiries. A significant Proceeds of Crime Act seizure was the discovery of £872,000 in a chimney stack at a property in Heaton, Bradford.

It is now being invested in a number of community projects aimed at improving lives and preventing crime.

Police also recovered £76,000 from a fraudster who conned an elderly woman out of her life savings. It is being given back to her family.

Detective Sergeant Richard Nixon, head of the Financial Investigations Unit, said: “Over a near two-year period officers have managed to freeze assets worth £1.5 million in Keighley alone and we are currently working to recover those and other monies for use back in the community.

“We are very pleased with the results of the week of action so far.”

Detective Chief Inspector Mabs Hussain, head of Airedale and North Bradford CID, said: “For many of us there are few things more galling than thinking a neighbour is living the high life through crime and I would encourage anyone who thinks they may know someone earning a living illegally to contact us through the Why Should They campaign at Crimestoppers.

“I can guarantee we will investigate, we will be knocking on doors and we will be taking action.”

Anyone who suspects someone is living off the proceeds of crime should ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.