Mark Acklom: One of UK's most wanted fugitives arrested in Switzerland
Suspect is accused of posing as MI6 agent to con woman out of £850,000
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One of Britain’s most wanted fugitives has been arrested in Switzerland after allegedly posing as an MI6 agent to con a woman out of £850,000.
Police said they found Mark Acklom living under a false name with his wife and two children when they raided his luxury apartment in Zurich on Saturday night.
The 45-year-old is being held in custody awaiting extradition to the UK, where he faces prosecution for 20 alleged fraud offences.
Mr Acklom is accused of conning Carolyn Woods, a 61-year-old woman from Gloucestershire, out of her £850,000 savings for renovation work at properties in Bath.
Ms Woods told police she met Mr Acklom when he visited the boutique clothes shop where she worked in 2012 and entered a year-long relationship.
He initially posed as a Swiss banker, she said, but later told her the story was cover for his real job as an MI6 agent.
Avon and Somerset Police asked the National Crime Agency (NCA) for help hunting him down and obtained a European Arrest Warrant in June 2016.
He was believed to be living in Spain, having been released from a Spanish prison over a £200,000 property fraud, but was then spotted in Geneva in May 2017.
Mr Acklom was listed on the Operation Captura list of Britain’s 96 most wanted fugitives. The operation has so far caught 82 suspects.
Ian Cruxton, head of international operations for the NCA, said it was important to apprehend Mr Acklom to guard against the possibility of him committing crimes “while on the run”.
“We are committed to protecting UK citizens from criminals who seek to exploit them and, likewise, we are equally committed to protecting citizens in other countries,” he added.
“Like many fugitives Acklom believed he could remain at large by travelling around Europe, but our international reach means there is no safe place to hide. He was arrested late on Saturday night after the apartment where he was living under a false name was identified.
“I’m really pleased for Ms Woods as she’s been waiting a long time for news of his arrest.”
Detective Inspector Adam Bunting, the senior investigating officer from Avon and Somerset Police, hailed the co-ordinated efforts of its officers, the NCA and Swiss authorities in the search.
“Acklom thought he could continue to evade capture by moving around Europe but we were determined to locate him and bring him back to this country,” he added.
“We will continue to work with the relevant authorities to ensure he is extradited as soon as possible.”
Mr Acklom is expected to be charged with 20 fraud offences upon his return to Britain – 12 of converting or removing criminal property and eight of fraud by false representation.