Crime unit claims success for charter

The National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) is investigating four cases of cybercrime inside companies under its new Confidentiality Charter.

The Charter was launched last year to encourage businesses to report computer crime without disruption of day-to-day trading or fear of adverse publicity.

And the move is proving to be a success.

'We're getting steady contacts from companies to the crime unit,' said detective chief superintendent Len Hynds, head of the NHTCU.

'We've instigated four long-term criminal investigations into activities within these companies using the guidelines set out in the charter. So far the results have been very encouraging.'

The companies involved have the option to not prosecute, provided none of the crimes have infringed on members of the public, under the European Convention on Human Rights.

The NHTCU initially targeted financial services firms to sign up for the Charter.

And in conjunction with the National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre, the unit is now looking to persuade the transport sector and the petrochemicals industry to become involved. It has also identified internet service providers as a priority.

But the NHCTU still has work to do to establish regional task forces, although the speed of progress has been well within the benchmarks set, says Hynds.

'Some local forces already have excellent units in place,' he said. 'Others have little or none and we're trying to support them in gaining the skills to investigate and record crime while maintaining pressure to see that they do.'

Hynds is midway through his three-year contract, but wants to stay in the job for the foreseeable future, despite his concerns over the demands on his budget from high profile cases such as Operation Ore, which is investigating online paedophile sites.

'At the moment it's a blank canvas,' he said. 'The people here are keen and committed and we're building a unit that is going to be an essential part of the future of policing.'

The unit will be recruiting 10 more officers this year. It is looking for computer forensics specialists for analysing seized hardware and software, and network investigators who understand protocols, know how to collect admissible evidence and can work with industry.