ELEVEN men were arrested in Hounslow as police thwarted an 'audacious' online bank heist.


Officers from the Met's Central e-Crime Unit yesterday arrested 11 men, aged between 23 and 50, in Kingsley Avenue, Hounslow. A 12th man, aged 34, was arrested at Vauxhall Bridge Road.

The men, all of whom remain in custody, were arrested in connection with an alleged conspiracy to remotely take control of Santander's computer and steal millions of pounds from the bank.

Police also carried out searches at a number of addresses in London boroughs, including Hounslow.

A Met statement said yesterday's arrests followed a long-term operation in conjunction with the bank.

"Yesterday's time-critical, dynamic response was achieved by working in partnership with the banking sector, thwarting a very significant and audacious cyber-enabled offence, and avoiding multi-million-pound losses from Santander at Surrey Quays shopping centre," it added.

The alleged offence involved using a keyboard video mouse device fitted to a computer within the bank branch, providing access to the desktop.