Police are hunting fraudsters who pocketed £50,000 from selling someone else’s house.

Two men put a terraced home in Exhall on the market through a specialist agency and managed to complete a sale.

The incredible scam was only uncovered when the Land Registry looked at the sale and found out that the ID used – in the name of a man and woman – featured pictures of two men.

Detectives can find no trace of the pair, who had no link to the property, and they have found no evidence of similar scams being pulled off nationwide.           

Now, in an effort to track down the fake sellers, officers have released the pictures used on the fake driving licences.

The home was vacant at the time because the occupants had moved elsewhere.

Det Con Simon Setchell said: “The money that went into the bank account was very quickly withdrawn and spirited away to purchase gold bullion and other things.

“They knew what they were doing. We’ve spoken to the owner of the home who wasn’t particularly impressed – he certainly had no idea what was going on.”

Even though cash was released to the suspected fraudsters deeds were never exchanged after the Land Registry stepped in.

The Northampton man who had bought the property got his money back from insurers.

The property was listed for sale on a specialist buy to let website in 2012 and the sale was finalised in December.

 

Det Con Setchell, of Rugby CID, said: “This gentleman became aware that this property was for sale.

“He asked a solicitor in Milton Keynes to carry out a purchase for him which they did via a company in Rugby.

“Two Asian males purporting to be the owners of the property provided proof of ID as required to the Rugby solicitor and the sale went through.

“Fortunately the Land Registry were carrying out some sample testing and they looked at the driving licences of the owner and his wife used in the sale.

“The names were correct but the pictures used were both of males.

“The property was listed at a reduced price which drew the buyer’s attention to it.

“This was an extraordinary crime, in which those involved were able to fraudulently deceive everyone involved in the sale of the house for their own gain.

“We have been investigating all lines of inquiry into this case, and we hope that by releasing the photographs which were used on the fake driving licences, we can track down the individuals whom we wish to speak to.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101.

If you want to pass on information anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.