The increasing threat of cybercrime has prompted Hertfordshire police to set up a new specialist unit.

The Cyber and Financial Investigation Unit (CFIU) will be focussing on serious and complex cyber-enabled crime, supporting colleagues dealing with cyber-related investigations in other units and investigating and preventing fraud.

Cybercrime can include a whole range of illicit online activities from hacking, fraud and scamming to stalking, hate crime and even human trafficking.

Superintendent Nat Briant, lead for the CFIU, said: "Criminal activity is increasingly being carried out online, with offenders often feeling that they are less likely to be caught when committing fraud or hacking online. 

"Similarly many people who might not consider themselves criminals are going online and committing abuse or hate crimes, because they feel a sense of anonymity doing it through social media. 

"In many cases they would not dream of committing such crimes at work or on the street.

"This new unit will investigate and tackle cybercrime and bring these offenders, who believe they are untraceable, to justice. We will be working with other forces and partner agencies across the country to track down these criminals wherever they may be - in the UK or even overseas. We now have specialists in a range of technologies, who can gather intelligence, track, locate and stay one step ahead of those committing crimes online. "

Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd said he was "delighted"  the new team has been set up.

He said: "The number and variety of crimes which are now being committed online is vast and growing all the time. Much of this crime goes unreported and is low level, but there is also a great deal of harm being done by these criminals and much of the proceeds end up in the hands of organised gangs or even terrorists.

"There is a great deal the police can do to combat these forms of crime, but they need your help. Intelligence is vital and reporting scams, virus attacks and other emerging threats will help investigators keep up with the ever changing methods of cybercriminals."

For more information, visit: www.herts.police.uk/advice/cybercrime.aspx