Detectives have tracked down the Manchester-based business which has been asking for money from local businesses in the name of York Crime Prevention.

PC John Bolton said he had tried various numbers passed to him by business people,who had complained about the firm before eventually managing to contact the company.

"I asked if I was speaking to York Crime Prevention and I was told I was," said PC Bolton, of York's community safety department.

"I said that was strange because we were York Crime Prevention too.

"I spoke to a manager from the company, who told me that his staff should make it clear they are not York Crime Prevention, but I told them they had identified themselves to me as just that.

"I will be contacting Manchester police about the matter, but in the meantime I would advise York businesses not to pay any invoices they receive unless they have seen what has been produced on their behalf and are completely satisfied with it."

Julie Walker, of Swift Print, in Burnholme, contacted the council's trading standards officers after she received a phone call from the company demanding money every day for ten days.

She said she was pleased the police acted so quickly and hopes it would spare more people from being contacted by the company, who pressured her to advertise in a York Crime Prevention year book.

"I hope this means there will be an end to it."

Police have received complaints from other businesses in the city, who believed the company was linked to them and objected to the aggressive way it demanded money.

At the time of going to press the company was unavailable for comment.

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