In a year marked by both high-profile financial crime crackdowns and innovative community policing, UK law enforcement agencies have demonstrated the breadth of their strategies to combat criminal activity—from the complex laundering of millions to the everyday offenses that impact local businesses and residents.
On Thursday, August 14, 2025, Devon & Cornwall Police secured Account Freezing and Forfeiture Orders at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, targeting funds linked to Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan. This victory follows a December 2024 seizure of nearly £2.7 million in criminal assets from the brothers, who have been under investigation for years. According to court proceedings reported by multiple sources, the Tates did not oppose the latest orders, which will see half the recovered funds distributed to local good causes and the other half directed to HM Treasury for public services.
The legal saga surrounding the Tate brothers has been anything but straightforward. Sarah Clarke KC, representing Devon and Cornwall Police, told the court that Andrew Tate’s deposit for a special-edition Aston Martin Valhalla in July 2021 was paid with money originating from tax and VAT evasion, as well as money laundering. The funds, she explained, were traced back to a Coinbase cryptocurrency account holding assets derived from the brothers’ business activities—none of which had been taxed or subjected to VAT.
These revelations are the result of a painstaking investigation. Police traced the movement of approximately £21 million between 2014 and 2022, following a tangled web of bank and cryptocurrency accounts designed to disguise the origins of the money. The investigation, as outlined in court, revealed deliberate efforts to avoid paying tax or VAT in any jurisdiction—a point underscored by Judge Goldspring’s December 2024 judgment. The judge concluded there was “overall criminality of deliberate and dishonest cheat of the revenue” and that the Tates had engaged in “long-standing conduct to evade their tax.”
Detective Superintendent Jon Bancroft, speaking after the August court decision, said, “This latest judgement follows on from our applications made against the Tate brothers which resulted in a successful ruling in December 2024 and the forfeiture of nearly £2.7-million of criminal funds. From the outset we aimed to demonstrate that Andrew and Tristan Tate evaded their tax obligations and laundered money. We succeeded in doing exactly that and we have succeeded again this week.”
He added, “This further successful outcome shows how we will relentlessly pursue all criminal funds without fear or favour. Our investigations do not have geographic boundaries and we will use legislation available to us—like the civil action under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) that we used in this case—to recover suspected criminal property.” Bancroft also highlighted the positive impact the recovered funds would have on local communities: “People in Devon and Cornwall will benefit from the money seized and it will be reinvested to help prevent crime, aid victims and vulnerable people, and to boost good causes. This is a great opportunity for us to support local good causes and help make a difference.”
While the crackdown on high-level financial crime continues to make national headlines, a very different but equally impactful approach is being rolled out in the heart of Woking, Surrey. This summer, police in Woking town centre have been using data-driven, intelligence-led policing to address crime at the ground level. The results? For six consecutive days, not a single crime was reported in the town centre—a feat that was quickly followed by another 48 hours without any incidents.
Key to this success has been the force’s commitment to “problem-solving” policing. PCSOs and officers have been hosting regular Meet the Beat sessions at eight local retailers, forging stronger relationships with staff and customers. Across these eight stores, retail crime has dropped an impressive 60%, according to SurreyWorld. The force also repurposed an empty retail space in the Victoria Place Shopping Centre to create a Cop Shop Stop, providing a welcoming venue for residents and visitors to interact with police and attend community meetings.
Inspector Ed Lyons, Woking’s Borough Commander, credits the dramatic reduction in crime to partnership working between Surrey Police, Woking Borough Council, local retailers, and The Peacocks Centre. At a summit in Woking this August—attended by Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson, Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend, and Woking MP Will Forster—Lyons explained, “We want to make sure people in Woking are aware that this is their town, and they have a right to feel safe and secure. We are using intelligence-led policing backed by data to determine crime patterns, and then deploying high-visibility patrols and enhanced CCTV use.”
The numbers speak for themselves. Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend reported that the force achieved over 1,200 shoplifting charges—a 32.3% increase from the previous year—and increased arrest rates by 12.1%. Townsend praised the local team’s approach, saying, “Police in the town used data and intelligence to pinpoint the areas where criminality was proportionately more common. Their aim is not just to respond to offending, but to stop it taking place altogether.”
This initiative is part of Surrey’s Safer Streets Summer, a wide-ranging programme targeting crime types that typically spike during the warmer months, including anti-social behaviour, violence against women and girls, retail crime, and violent offending. Townsend emphasized the importance of this “back-to-basics” policing, stating, “By working with businesses and the borough council, the team are making a huge difference to one of Surrey’s most vibrant and busy town centres.”
Despite these successes, local leaders remain vigilant. Townsend urged residents, “We urge anyone who needs to contact their police to do so, either on 101 or by calling 999 in an emergency.” The message is clear: while innovative policing strategies can dramatically reduce crime, community engagement and vigilance are essential to sustaining these gains.
Both the sophisticated financial investigations in Devon and Cornwall and the collaborative, data-driven efforts in Woking highlight the adaptability of UK policing. Whether unraveling complex webs of money laundering or building trust through community outreach, law enforcement agencies are leveraging every tool at their disposal. The funds reclaimed from criminals are not just numbers on a balance sheet—they’re resources being reinvested to safeguard communities, support victims, and foster a sense of security from the ground up. As these stories show, the fight against crime is multifaceted, relentless, and—at its best—deeply rooted in the communities it aims to protect.
