Three held in 'clocked' car probe

Three people have been arrested in connection with a scam involving the sale of so-called "clocked" cars.

West Yorkshire Police said it had found evidence of cars being bought at auction and sold on with illegally reduced mileage.

Detectives believe about £1m made from the sale of the cars may have been sent to Zimbabwe to fund organised crime.

Two men aged 31 and 32 and a woman aged 33 were arrested in Leeds on suspicion of fraud and money laundering.

They have been released on bail while inquiries continue.

'Found out'

Police said the investigation was triggered during a pilot scheme in Leeds which meant that anyone arrested on suspicion of a crime such as theft was automatically searched and checked for evidence "that they were living beyond their means".

Officers forced their way into a car dealership in the Wortley area on Wednesday and are checking the histories of vehicles.

Det Sgt Tom Walsh said car clocking was a "quick and easy way for criminals to make money because many victims will think they are getting a great deal on a relatively new car with a low mileage".

"But having paid over the odds in the first place they are soon faced with paying for repairs that they think are before their car's time, which is often when the truth behind their vehicle's history is found out."